Seeing Things
by Hei Huo
Summary: She was your ordinary, every day girl who has just moved to Japan from America. But she isn't all what she seems. She meets someone who is completly abnormal, and agrees to help him. But with every clue she finds, comes another mystery.
1. Again It Starts

**Seeing Things**

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Summary: Her name was Jo. She was your ordinary, every day girl who has just moved to Japan from America. But she isn't all what she seems. Things seem to take a nose dive for her, after she meets someone who is completly abnormal. And how does the Yu Yu Gang meet up with her? 

Disclaimer: YYH does not belong to me. Because I say so.

Yes, I feel kinda bad for starting a whole new story without finishing my other one, but I've got a short attention span.  
But… I did, so… I'm bad. XP  
I put the other story on hiatus, for I have gotten writer's block on that one. XP  
Anyway, enjoy… I guess. XD**

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Again It Starts **

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"So, how do you like our new house?" My father asked, beaming, "Of course it's only rented, and we agreed we might have to move out at any moment… But… It's nice, no?" 

I looked around the house. I was rather pissed, for moving, but my father had just remarried after my mother died 6 years ago, and he looked really in love with his new wife. "Yes, Dad. It's not too shabby for me…" I replied back, not wanting to make him feel guilty or anything.

My new stepmother entered the house, grabbing my father's hands. "I know. My friend knows the woman who owes this house, and now me and my friend's friend are friends!" She said excitedly.

If I was living in an anime, I would have sweat dropped, and my eyes would have turned into thick little lines. My new 'mother' was rather hyper for a forty year old, but even I have to agree, she was a responsible, and fair mother, and was rather pretty.

"That's real interesting…" I mumbled, wanting to be polite and sarcastic at the same time, which does not make a good mix.

No one noticed though, my father and stepmother looked really peaceful just standing there, in the middle of 'our' new living room. Rolling my eyes, I started to wander around my new house.

Starting my way upstairs, I noticed some framed pictures on the wall besides the stairs. Most of them were with; I'm guessing, my stepmother's new friend, and a long, red haired boy.

Hm… That boy's kinda cute.

Wait…

I suddenly stopped, and went back to gazing at the pictures. Red hair? Long red hair? Long red hair and emerald green eyes? Emerald green eyes that sparkled with mystery?

Wow

Oh my gosh, I wonder where he gets his colored hair, and his eyes. I mean, his mother, I'm guessing, has brown hair, and brown eyes. She looks pretty in a plain way, while he is like, what my friend would call, a 'hottie.'

Well, let's get on with my private tour of my new house, shall we?

As I got to the second story, I went into the nearest room. Opening the door, I was surprised to see someone still in there, packing, or something.

"Oh my gosh, sorry. I didn't know anybody would still be here…" I said, my voice trailing off in surprise as the other person turned around.

It was the boy from the pictures on the wall. But he… changed or something. His skin was a pasty white, and his hair had lost it's 'I'm-so-soft-and-shiny-look'. Not to mention, his emerald green eyes no longer sparkled, and now had a rather dull look.

He blinked at me, and then I remember I was still speaking English. "Oh… You probably don't speak English…" I said, and then rolled my eyes, for I had just spoke English again, and had stated the obvious.

Good job, crap-butt. Nice impression you're going to have on him.

Switching to my, really bad, accented Japanese, I apologized, and moved towards the door, not feeling really comfortable.

"Oh no, it's okay. I was just… Checking if I missed anything." He mumbled, picking a single box that lay at his feet.

Once again, I was surprised. I imagined his voice to, you know; sound really soft, and sweet. Not devoid of emotion or anything, but… I guess I was just really bad at reading people from their photographs.

"Oh… Okay." I replied back, "So…"

My voice trailed off, once more. I was really bad at holding conversations with people I barely know, and my 'being-shy-because-I-was-speaking-really-bad-Japanese', didn't help either.

"Yes, well… It was nice meeting you…" He mumbled again, in that emotionless voice of his.

"Yeah… Same here…" I replied, and then mumbled, "I guess…"

Without another word, he moved towards the doorway, and I moved out of the way. Stepping down the stairs, I shrugged, gazing confused at his back, before slamming the door shut, because I had the sudden urge to.

I sighed, as I looked around the bare room, now that the other boy had left, with his boxes and stuff.

"This is where my desk should go… And my computer will be on top of my desk… And my desk will have a lot of cabinets…" I mumbled to myself, trying to set up my new room as my old room had been. "And the bed will be…" I looked down at this rather dusty square on the floor, with little pieces of lint in the square, "Covering that dusty crap."

Sighing, I walked towards the window, and my eyes lit up in delight, as I saw a perfect climbing tree outside, with a perfect branch for sitting on right outside my window. "I think I can reach it from the window too…" I muttered out loud, a smile creeping on towards my face, "Of course I'll try it at night. I don't want anyone to notice anything… Or something along those lines…"

My eyes wandered from the tree, towards the street. It was around noon-ish or so, on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.

Wow, I almost sound like that perky weather girl, with the really short skirt, that I completely loathe.

But anyway, I shook my head, trying to get her perky, 'it-looks-like-there's-a-smile-permantly-sewn-on-her-face' weather girl out of my head, I spotted a figure.

I couldn't tell if it was a male or female because of my distance to this person, but I could faintly see the figure. He, or she, wore all black, and looked rather short.

But what did I know? I was far away from he, or she, how should I know if he, or she was short?

I think, I think, the figure had some sort of bandana where his or her forehead should be. And I also think, I saw gravity defying hair.

But of course, I was the girl who always saw stuff that weren't there. So, could I trust myself?

The answer was simple.

No.

Oh look, I made myself go off track again…

Damn it…

Shaking my head, again, I returned to looking at the figure. He or she was walking in the middle of the street, walking as if he or she was lost.

I groaned, bored. If that, person, didn't get out of the middle of the street, he or she was going to get mowed over by a car.

My eyes widened a second later though, because a car did pull out of a driveway, not too far away. It was big, and a truck. It was blaring music. It was black, with a bit of graffiti. It reminded me of my brother's old truck.

The problem is the teenager whom was driving it, obviously didn't notice the person in the middle of the street, and if I was watching clearly, pushed the petal to the metal.

Or was it metal to the petal…?

Or was it… Something else?

Slapping myself on the hand, I broke out of my weird, weird thoughts, and tried to think about what to do.

Person in the middle of the street.

Huge car going to mow this person to the ground.

I'm going to feel guilty for the rest of my life.

Scrambling out the window, and onto the branch, I noticed the car was only, like, 3 feet away from the person.

Oh great, like I could get there in time now…

It was like one of those horrible, freaky, horror movies. Where you know something really, freaky, and disgusting is going to happen, and you want to turn away, but… You just can't.

This was the exact same situation.

Except, nothing completely horrible happened.

If I were to tell somebody else, what I had just seen, they'd throw me into this white room, with padded walls, and a straight jacket.

The car passed through the person.

Literally.

And at that second, I nearly cried out in annoyance, anger, and frustration.

Oh great.

Another one.

My life was officially ruined.

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Okay, so, yea…  
If you likey, R&R please! 

Hei Huo


	2. First Impressions

Okie, I updated. XP  
A note to whomever is reading this:  
Hei updates slow…  
She'll try to update once three days though. XD  
Okay, moving onto the story…

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**First Impressions

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Okay, let me explain myself.

I like to call myself Jo. Nothing more, nothing less.

I'm 16 years old, in August, and am currently in high school, no duh.

My mother died when I was 10, from skin cancer.

And that's all.

Oh wait one more thing.

I have a very strange ability, to see ghosts.

Cool, neh?

I'm going to say, it's not.

It sucks.

You know why?

It's like instinct, every time I see a ghost; I want to, no, I need to help them move on!

But you know what?

Sometimes those stupid ghosts get violent, and I get myself a free ride to the hospital, in a screaming white van with a red cross on its side.

The cool thing is, anything I touch, a ghost can touch. This means, I can touch ghosts, and they can touch me.

I find this better, than I can't touch them, and they can't touch me, because I won't feel like my hand just went through an extremely cold bucket of water.

Anyway, I only agreed to move from America to Japan, because for 14 years of my life, I had been harassed by ghosts, literally. When I was two, I swear, I can remember this man who died, because his kid murdered him because he murdered his wife that literally yelled at me whenever I was near.

Yes, he died drunk, and he acted drunk all the time, he probably didn't notice I could hear him, but still, it was freaky.

So, I agreed to move.

Sadly, when I got here, I just realized, that I heard, Japanese ghosts are freakier than American ones.

And you know what that means?

I'm screwed.

So, when I saw the black truck go through the mysterious figure walking lost in the middle of the street, I could see him, yes it was a him, slightly glowing through the black metal.

I was right.

He had been wearing all black, and there was a white bandana over his forehead, covering who knows what. And he did have rather gravity defying hair. It was black by the looks of it. His eyes, were the things that got me most though, a shocking crimson red, which I could see, even from where I was sitting, and that was far from where he was.

Oh wow, this guy was more interesting than the red haired dude.

Climbing back into the bare room, I hoped I wouldn't have to meet the red eyed ghost though. He looked rather harmless, as if he was lost or something, but still, red eyes?

That's definitely not normal.

And plus, I have to deal with moving in, and school first.

If he's still around by the time I get done with everything else.

I guess… I'll try to help him.

But he gave me a weird feeling, and it wasn't the good kind.

So…

I'm going to leave him alone for now.

"Argh…" I moaned, flopping myself down on top of my bed.

It was midnight, and I had gotten up at 4 A.M. yesterday, and I was in horrible need of sleep.

Three weeks had passed since I moved here, and I was pretty much settled in.

Except for the weird knocking noise on my window I heard every single fricken' night.

Believe me, I never look what's do the knocking, but there is a knocking. It's all soft, and everything, but then it sounds like someone really wants to get in, and that someone pushes harder and harder, until…

That someone disappears.

Yes, I am getting harassment from ghosts again.

Whoopdeedo for Jo.

Whoopdeedo for whoever's harassing Jo.

Whoopdeedo for ghosts harassing Jo.

My vision started to swim, since I was so god damn pooped, and I only stood up long enough to, literally, rip off my socks, and dove under the sheets.

"Mm…" I mumbled softly, closing my eyes.

I hope no one comes today… I'm too pooped to…Wake up…

My mind started to slow down, and I turned on one side, pulling the blanket tighter around me.

God, I hope the knocking doesn't come today…

**XOXOXO**

_An ice island, suspended in air. _

A woman standing on the very edge of a cliff, on the very edge of the island.

A bundle of something wrapped in a cocoon shape thing in her hands.

Tears trickling down her face, turning into some kind of gems.

Stretching out her arm, the bundle in her hand.

Another woman crying, screaming, trying to get to the woman on the cliff.

Other women holding the hysterical one back.

The bundle moving, a baby…

_The woman dropping the baby over the cliff. _

_Falling…_

_Falling…_

_Falling…_

_A cry of slight terror arising from the baby's mouth. _

**XOXOXO**

"Oh my gosh." I gasped, exclaiming in a fast, low voice.

"What, the hell, was that, dream?" I asked myself, staring at my hands, "What kind of freak drops a baby off a cliff?"

Breathing heavily, I realized, that is the freakiest dream I have ever had. Counting on, it didn't have me in it, and I never imagined anything of that sort.

And then I froze.

It was then I realized.

I felt a hand on my shoulder.

It wasn't my step mum's, or my father's, or else they would have said something about my language by now, and would've asked if I was alright.

Oh no.

It was another ghost.

I slowly turned my head, and straightened up, preparing myself for the face of some ghost, I was going to grind my fist into, but surprisingly, I didn't.

It was the same ghost, from the car incident.

It was the one that walked around the street lost.

And oh my gosh, was he hot.

And that will be the only other time, anybody, including me, will hear me say, or think that.

"Who. The. Hell. Are. You." I said slowly, regaining my senses after I had declared him as 'hot'.

The boy stared at me blankly, his crimson eyes shining with questions.

"I… I don't know."

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Oh yes, I also have to say…  
Yay!  
Hei got reviews!  
Okay, Hei's going now. Leave a review for meh! >w 

Hei Huo


	3. A Strange Friendship

Oopsie.  
XP  
Hei apologizes for not updating sooner.  
She got caught up with school, friends, and family problems.  
XP  
She promises to try and update faster, but it seems her computer is going to get cleared out, and her internet goes bye-bye soon… So…

**XOXOXO**

**Suntiger:  
**No problem, I don't count it as a flame. I know my use of commas suck. XP  
I haven't used the commas and stuff for a while…  
China doesn't really care about punctuation, as long as it makes sense.

Anyway, on to the story!

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**A Strange Friendship

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"I… I don't know."

I blinked and then sighed annoyed.

How the hell am I supposed to help him if he doesn't even know his own name!

Oh great.

I'm once again, screwed.

"But… You know me…" He whispered, and that's when I first noticed the frightened and half innocent, half 'I'm-a-bad-ass' look in his eyes.

I blinked, and shook my head. "No I don't. Really."

"But… But…" He almost looked like he was physically wounded or something, because his eyes reflected pain, "You can… You can see me… You can… Hear me… You can… touch me…"

I shook my head again, noticing his hand was still on my shoulder, "Yes, I can do all those things. But that doesn't mean I know you!"

He then looked angry and on the verge of tears at the same time. "You're… You're the only one…" He whispered, grabbing my wrist with inhuman strength, even for a ghost.

I blinked again, not knowing what to say. "Do you know… that you're dead?" I asked, knowing it was a horrible question to ask, but sometimes ghosts don't know their dead yet, and walk around bothering people like me, because I'm the only one who seems to notice them.

His eyes dropped, but his grip tightened on my wrist. "Hai…"

"Then what are you waiting for? Just move on!" I hissed at him, getting freaked and pissed since my wrist was starting to hurt.

"I… I can't…" He whispered, looking back at me, his eyes turning black, "I don't think… I can…"

Oh great, his eyes were turning black.

Black meant they were mad.

"Calm down, okay?" I hissed, using my other hand to try to push his hand away, "And stop squeezing my wrist!"

He calmed down, his eyes turning back to their normal, freaky crimson red, and he hesitantly let go of my wrist, looking at me as if I were to run away at any second.

"I won't run away." I sighed, and massaged my wrist, "But you tell me this, can you remember anything in your life?"

He lowered his eyes once more, and shook his head.

I rolled my eyes; this was going to be a looong night…

**XOXOXO**

"Get out."

Silence.

"Stop watching me."

More silence.

"Stop it…"

Much more silence.

"Do not, I repeat, do not make me slap the hell out of you, because I will."

Muuuch more silence.

I growled slightly, and stomped over to the ghost that was sitting on the window seat, and watching me closely.

"I have to change clothes! So stop watching me!" I whined, picking up a pillow, and throwing it at him.

Sadly, I wasn't touching the pillow when it had flown towards him, so it ended up soaring out of the opened window.

"Oh great." I mumbled, "Now look what you made me do."

He stared at me sadly, and made me feel really guilty.

"Oh great, even though it's your fault, you're making me feel guilty." I said to him, and he just kept on staring sadly at me.

"Oh all right. You can watch my bathroom door. Since I can't change in front of you, you watch my bathroom door. I'm taking a shower." I sighed, and stepped into the bathroom, closing the door.

Ripping off my shirt and pants, in a pissed manner, I threw them in the laundry basket, and then proceed to take off my socks and other stuff in the same manner.

I turned the water on, and stepped inside, pulling the shower curtain.

"Oh my gosh… I can't believe it's starting all over again…" I sighed, "You think I would have been punished enough. It's been 14 years since it started…"

Squeezing shampoo into my hand, I sighed again, and lathered the shampoo into my hair, closing my eyes tightly.

"So, Jo. Any bright ideas for this ghost?" I said to myself, picturing him in my head, and grinning slightly since he was rather cute.

Rinsing, I shook myself mentally. "Don't get attached to a ghost, Jo…" I whispered, feeling the warm water flow down my neck.

After finishing washing myself, I grabbed a towel, and dried myself off, tying the towel around my chest.

I felt a bit refreshed, still tired though, but a bit more refreshed.

Taking a few steps, so my feet led me towards the mirror, I took a smaller cloth, and wiped the fog off the mirror.

Tilting my head slightly, I stared at myself, noting my outer features, and wondering what other people thought of me when they first met me.

I had raven black hair, that was currently damp and dripping water, that reached a bit below my shoulders. When it was dry, the ends would slightly curl, and the rest would be slightly wavy.

I'm going to ask dad again if I'm allowed to dye my hair. I want to get streaks of blondish brown in various places, so my hair wouldn't look that plain.

My eyes were a rather dark blue, the color coming from my father's side. He was part Irish, which was rather strange. I had those really ugly dark bags under my eyes, except they weren't that dark, and they weren't that baggy.

I was rather short, and petite looking for my age, really. I was only 5'2, and rather skinny, since I had a very high metabolism, or so I say.

Pushing my hair back, I put my hands onto the edges of my sink, and leaned closer to the mirror, squinting slightly.

Poof.

Okay, so there wasn't a poof, but he still freaked me out.

"Oh my gosh don't do thaaat!" I yelled, slipping on the wet floor, and hitting my head slightly on the bathtub.

He had just appeared behind me, staring at me with an innocent look on his face.

"Oww…" I moaned, rubbing my head, my vision swimming, "I told you to watch the door! Not me!"

Grabbing his ankle, which obviously surprised him, I pulled him down, since that was the first thing I thought to do.

He crashed down beside me, hitting his elbow on the bathtub as well, since my body was leaning on the bathtub, making it solid for him.

Not one sound escaped his lips, but he did growl angrily through his lips, and rubbed his elbow. "Baka onna…" He hissed at me, under his breath.

"Oh wow, you really aren't that innocent. See? You do know some bad words!" I said sarcastically, continuing to rub my head.

That's when I noticed, I was feeling rather naked.

That's when I looked down, and wah-lah.

My towel had slid down to my waist.

Oh my gosh.

I felt eyes on me, and noticed he was staring at me, but I couldn't tell what expression he had on.

"Stop staring you perv!" I screamed, my hand connecting with his cheek.

He flinched and his hand went towards his cheek. He stared at me sadly again and once again made me feel guilty.

"Aww… Once again, you have succeeded in making me feel guilty." I said softly, making sure the towel was covering my chest part.

He was silent again, but didn't disappear. His eyes wandered towards the ground, and he wasn't bothering to get up.

"Oh all right. I can't keep on calling you, you. And I also can't keep calling you, him, or he in my mind." I stated, moving into a more comfortable sitting position, "So… What do you think I should call you?"

He was silent as usual, and I rolled my eyes.

"I'm going to call you… Red, okay?" I replied, filling in the silence.

He then proceeded to stare at me in a confused manner.

Mentally I grinned. I knew he wasn't some kind of pet or something, but it was kinda cute to see that emotion on his face.

And plus, I think this would be a fun, but probably short and weird, friendship.

"Hey, I lived in America for like, half of my life. I love to speak English, more than Japanese, so I named you red. Plus, your eyes are technically red." I retorted, making sure one hand was tightly pressed over the knot in the towel, and the other pushing me off the ground.

"Hn."

I blinked slightly, "Oh wow. The first word you spoke since 'baka onna' happens to be, a weird huffing noise."

Stretching one hand towards him, he hesitated before slowly grabbing it, and I pulled him to his feet, although he looked a bit uncomfortable.

"Now, Red." I said, using the name I gave him, although it felt a bit foreign on my tongue, "I'd appreciate it if you stop following me around."

Before he could look hurt, and make me feel guilty, I quickly started to talk again, "I mean you can follow me around. But not like to the bathroom, or when I'm changing, or stuff like that. Also, when you want to talk to me, please don't talk to me in front of people. They're going to throw me in a mental hospital if they find me talking to you. Of course they won't see you, so they'll wonder why I'm talking to myself, and then edge away from me, a bit freaked."

He blinked, probably trying to get the words I just said to sink in. I was a pretty fast talker, and my Japanese having a really strong accent didn't help him understand me any better.

"Okay well. My parents instructed me yesterday night, for me to 'get out of the house' and explore the city. They probably left me some money, and I need to go grab my cell, although I don't think it works in Japan, but hey, it's always worth a try." I said, grabbing a comb, and running it through my hair.

He was silent again, and I rolled my eyes. "Okay, Red. Seriously, if you're going to stick with me, and you want me to help you, talk. It kinda gets boring when I'm the only one that talks you know." I said, "Now get out. I wanna change. Actually, you stay in here, and I'm going to go change in my room."

I waited for a bit, waiting for him to show any signs of agreeing with me, and he did, after nodding his head slightly. Nodding my head in approval back at him, I opened the door, and walked into my room, closing the bathroom door behind me.

Walking towards my closet, I quickly grabbed my 'unmentionables', and slipped them on. Pulling the towel off my chest, I quickly dried my hair with it, as best as I could, and threw it over my shoulder.

"Lalalalala…" I mumbled to myself, in a humming tone, pulling out a pair of my brother's old pants. They were too big, baggy, and black. Just the way I liked them.

Slipping them on, I called out, "Okay, you can come out now, if you're still there Red."

I opened the door, and started to walk downstairs. Glancing back, I noticed Red wasn't following me. Shrugging, I walked into the kitchen, and rummaged through my refrigerator, looking for something to eat.

My father was a work lover, and it seemed my step mother also was a work lover. So, they were obviously at work. And for the past three weeks, two and half of them were spent working. I'm used to it, so they would just leave me some money on the counter, and a note; which was there on the counter right now.

Humming softly, I grabbed some milk, some bread, and some peanut butter.

The doorbell suddenly rang, and I sighed. Grabbing a piece of bread, and holding it in my mouth, chewing it slightly, I walked towards the door.

The doorbell rang again, and I yelled, "Wait a moment!" although my voice came out a bit muffled, for the bread was still in my mouth.

Opening it, I blinked in surprise.

"Do I know you…?" I muttered, crossing my hands, being very uncomfortable, my voice coming out all low and stuff.

Standing on my new house's front door steps, were three girls. They were all very… Slutty, I think. Before I opened the door, they were in very… what I think they thought were attracting poses. Sadly, I thought they were just pathetic and sad looking…

"Suiichi-kun!" One of them squealed. All of them had their eyes clothes for some strange reason, and were giggling slash blushing at the same time.

"We can't wait 'till school starts. Then we can see you everyday." One of the girls said, leaning close to me, and looking as if she was about to kiss me.

"Erm… Excuse me but-" I was suddenly cut off when she grabbed my hand, and placed it onto her ahem, chest.

"Do you like it, Suiichi-kun? You can have me if you want." She giggled, and then leaned even closer in towards me.

"Don't hog him Aiko!" One of the girls in the back said, although they all had their eyes closed still.

"I'm not! We agreed we wouldn't hog his looks. And technically since we're all not looking at him, we're all sharing him!" The girl in front of my replied back, her grip on my hand tightening.

"Don't worry about them, Suiichi-kun." She whispered in my ear, "I'm lying. You're all mine."

She edged closer and closer, until I could swear her lips were only a fraction away from mine. But since I was so confused about what was happening, I froze, not being able to do anything.

"You're all mind, Suiichi-kun. And I'm all yours." She said, a coy smile appearing on her face.

"Are you like… a lesbian?" I coughed, edging my head away from her, my face on fire.

She suddenly opened her eyes, and let out a scream right in my face. Faster than anything I've seen before, she released the grip on my hand, and sped towards the girls in the back, that had opened their eyes at that scream.

"Na-nani!" One of the girls in the back cried, horrified, "You're not Suiichi-kun!" The one that hadn't spoken yet squealed, this time in terror.

"Duh. Does it look like I am?" I yelled back, grabbing the piece of bread out of my mouth and throwing it onto the ground.

"Sh-She's such a seductive bitch!" The one that had almost kissed me cried, sobbing fakely, "She made me believe she was Suiichi-kun!"

I twitched, and then tried to crack my knuckles.

Sadly, I couldn't and only succeeded in making a fool of myself.

Okay.

Plan B.

"Seductive bitch! Seductive bitch!" I yelled towards the fake sobbing girl, "It seems to me like you were trying to get this 'Suiichi-kun' to have you or something! Well guess what. You don't deserve anybody to have you."

The girl immediately stopped fake sobbing, and marched up to me, her face red with anger. "TAKE THOSE WORDS BACK!" She yelled in my face.

"This is something I usually do to a perverted boy… But…" I started, bringing my knuckle up, making a fist, and smiling cockily at her.

She immediately brought her hands up to her face, and started to beg me not to hurt her, fake tears coming out of her eyes, the mascara around her eyes smearing.

"Pft. Cowardly bitch." I sneered, and brought my fist down, rolling my eyes, "Now get off my doorstep. I hate to have it tainted with your patchiness."

She immediately ran off, those two friends of hers trailing behind her.

I entered my house, slamming the door, walking towards the kitchen.

"Eep. Girls like those give me the creeps." I said, pretending to shiver.

I turned a corner, and wah-lah.

Red was there, staring at me, amused.

"What? They thought I was a seductive bitch. Oh, and the first girl was talking about a 'Suiichi-kun'." I said, picking at a stain on my shirt.

Red didn't reply after that.

"Red?" I questioned, looking up from the stain.

He had a strange far-away, kinda dull look in his eyes. Not to mention, his eyes were also a strange color. If he had been mad, his eyes would be a pure black, but now… They were a surprising purple color.

"Red?" I repeated again, reaching out, and grasping his shoulder.

But suddenly, images started to race through my head.

A red head. The same one from the pictures that used to hang on the walls of my new house.

A black haired boy with slicked back hair, shining from the overuse of gel.

An orange/red head, with the weirdest hairstyle I've ever seen, although it was kinda different, and I liked different.

My eyes widened slightly, as sounds seemed to echo through my head. A flash of red covered my eye sight.

Kinda like…

Blood.

I wanted to say so many things; I wanted to move away from Red, since I think he was the one that was causing strange things, and sounds to enter my head.

But I couldn't. I don't know why, but I couldn't.

And suddenly, my sight suddenly started to dim.

My head started to spin as well, and I think I collapsed on the floor, but I couldn't really tell, I think my nerves were dead or something.

I felt like I was breathing in smoke or something. My body felt like it was like in jelly or something, and I could hardly move.

_"Hiei…"_

Who the hell was 'Hiei'?

_"Wait for us!"_

Who the hell was 'us'?

I think there were a couple of other sounds, but I had totally lost conscious by then, and yet I could still think.

Oh wait…

No…

My head was all fuzzy right now as well…

Shit…

Something was telling me… I had just gotten myself in huge trouble…

* * *

Yay!  
Okay, I didn't really like this chapter.  
XP  
So…  
Anyway…  
Pwease Read and Review!  
:3 

Hei Huo


	4. Memories

Sorry for updating so late. Went to Taiwan for the only vacation I'm going to get in two months...  
Anyway, yea.  
It's rather short, so I'm also sorry for that.  
Tests are coming up next week, again... 

**XOXOXO  
**  
**Suntiger:  
**Yea, I know Hiei's acting out of character. I was trying to get a certain perspective on him, with mixed emotions and stuff, but I guess I didn't get it quite right.

**For Everyone who said the last chapter was confusing:  
**My greatest gift in life, is confusing people. XD

**XOXOXO**

Thanks to everyone who reviewed!

* * *

**Memories**

* * *

My eyes flickered open, and I sat up, wondering what I was doing on the ground and why was it so hot? Not to mention, what happened to the lights? They were all dim, and reddish. I'm so going to call the electrical company… 

Wait…

Why was the ground… wet?

Jumping up, I hastily tried to wipe off some liquid, a stupid thing to do.

Of course it didn't come off, so I raised my hand towards my face and wondered what the liquid I had been lying on was.

My hand was a rusty red color, and I tilted my head, what kind of liquid was a rusty red color.

Blood.

I stared wide eyed at my hand, and fought the urge to scream.

Where was I?

Shakily rubbing my hand on my pants, I cast a look around.

Immediately, I regretted it.

I was in some kind of clearing, no longer in my new house.

The sky was cloudy, and fires burnt here and there. The red orange flames licked at anything it could find. The ground was brown, and wet, tainted with blood.

But the freaky thing was…

Not all of the blood was red. There was blue, black, green liquids that felt exactly like blood, but just wasn't the same color.

And then I saw him.

It was Red.

But he didn't look the same.

Sure, his physical features were all the same, the same clothes, the same hair and the same eyes.

No…

Not the same eyes.

Instead of the insecurity, and all the emotions that reflected in his eyes, like when I met him, those crimson eyes were filled with bloodlust.

Freaky.

The fact that he held a blood stained katana in his hand, and was standing over bodies of people-no, creatures didn't help.

That's when I noticed the bodies.

Here, there, everywhere.

My breath caught in my throat, as I took a step back and tripped over a body.

A green, scaly, blue eyed lizard looking like body to be exact.

And a squeaky noise escaped my mouth, as I stared at the lizard things face.

Where… was I?

What the hell is that?

Why… Why was everything so different?

Finally, the smell of blood, newly killed carcasses, and smoldering flesh reached my nose. Gagging, I felt faint and felt myself hit the ground again.

Fainting twice in one day.

I was on fire.

His crimson eyes stared coolly at me, through the darkness gathered in my imagination.

Who was he?

**XOXOXO**

Trapped.

Lost.

And Frightened.

A small 10 year old girl. Tears rapidly sliding down her cheeks.

A middle-aged woman, most likely the small girl's mother. Skin, ghastly pale. On a white hospital bed. Machines all around her. Beeping, slower, and slower.

"Tears don't fit you, my dear." The woman whispered, weakly reaching over to the girl, wiping away her tears with her pointer finger.

And then her arm dropped, and a long, never ending beeping sound filled the room.

"No…"

Beep.

"This isn't happening…"

_Beeeeep._

_"Mommy…" _

Beeeeeeeeep.

**XOXOXO**

"Don't go!"

I scrambled to my feet, breathing heavily, and looking around startled.

Refrigerator. Counter. Bread. Butter. Table. Coffee Machine. And a whole lot of other crap.

I was back in my new house, in the kitchen.

I could feel the tears well up in my eyes, but I quickly blinked them away.

I wouldn't cry, I promised.

What the hell happened?

That scene, and then that memory…

Not a good mix.

I put a hand on the refrigerator door, and closed my eyes.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Breathe in.

Breathe ou-

Something cold was placed at the bare skin at the back of my throat. Something cold, hard, and metal.

"I'm your worst nightmare girly." A gruff voice whispered in my ear, a snicker following it.

Once again, my breath was caught in my throat.

I really was on fire.

"Don't panic, I'm only here for my revenge." The voice snickered, the metal thing was pushed harder into me and caused my to lean forward a bit.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Breathe in.

Stay calm, Jo, stay calm.

"Don't panic… I'm only here to kill you."

Okay.

Some insane mass murder.

I could get myself out of this.

Click.

Oh shit.

He loaded the gun.

Start to panic Jo, start to panic.

This day just got better and better.

* * *

Hei Huo 


	5. New Comer

Okie.  
This time, I really have to apologize for updating late.  
It's just...  
School's ending in a month, and during this month a whole lot of school related things are going to happen.  
Tests, reports, and more tests.  
So...  
I'll be updating really late. XP  
Sorry!

I also apologize for the shortness of the chapter as well. XP

* * *

**New Comer  
**

* * *

Insane murder. 

Gun pointed at the back of my head.

Going to die.

Damn…

_Whee! You are so cute when you talk to yourself!_

I groaned.

Oh my god. My conscience is talking to me.

_Yesh, yesh. I am your conscience. _

Oh whatever. My conscience was never any help.

_Hey! I'm a great help! I always help y- _

Shut up already.

…

Whew. Now that small, useless conversation was over, I returned to the matter at hand.

"What's the matter girly? Scared?" The voice purred, the metal thing making circles on the back of my neck.

Okay.

I'm going to punch the guy in the face.

Yes.

"Get ready to see the light girly."

My god, he scares me.

Wait.

No time to waste.

As quick as I could possibly go, I grabbed the metal thing, and twisted it around. Then, using my other hand, I formed a fist, and rammed it into the guy's face.

Crunch.

Oh shit.

That was the sound of my hand caught in the other guy's hand.

"Nice punch, JJ!"

Whoa.

The murderer's voice suddenly changed from really low and growly male voice, to high, happy female voice.

Click.

There was only one person that could catch my punch…

Oh wait.

Anyone could catch my punch.

Fine. There was only one person with that voice; that could get away with calling me JJ, without me taking the nearest hardest object and smashing their head in.

"Shai!" I exclaimed, opening my eyes.

A pair of lively and amused forest green eyes peered at me. Giggling, Shai released her grip on my hand, and winked.

"Hey Jo. Nice to see you lose to me again."

Long black hair that reached her waist. Those green eyes that sparkled with insanity. Skinny and tall. Really sharp nails. And when I looked at her, a wolf popped into my mind.

Yep.

This was Shai.

"It's been a while, Jo." She smirked, winking, "And obviously, you need someone to help you make some new friends."

**XOXOXO **

"Well, if you want to know my opinion, it seems that ghost, the new one, has a really bad past or something." Shai remarked, poking at the fried chicken she ordered, and making silly faces at it.

Did I mention she could see ghosts as well?

I was talking to her about Red.

He freaked me out now, and the last time I had been freaked out by a ghost was…

Well, it was like, a week ago. I had seen a ghost on the plane, she died when her plan she was taking to see her boyfriend, crashed.

I couldn't help her, since the plane was crowded, so I couldn't say anything to her.

But she freaked me out.

Anyway…

"Okay, well. I can handle the bad past thing. But what about the lizard like thing?" I asked, shuddering as I remembered the blue eyes, opened wide, and the mouth that was curved up in a sneer filled with pain or something along those lines.

There was a silence from Shai, which is surprising, since she is almost never silent.

I could hear other people's conversations, which were boring. I could hear frying and sizzling coming from the chicken.

I toyed around with the straw that was stuck in my coke, and took a couple of sips, getting really uncomfortable since Shai was really silent.

"Do you believe in demons?" Shai piped up.

Finally.

She talked.

"Oh no, not that question." I groaned, hitting my head on the table.

"Come on Jo! Do you or do you not?" She whined, quite loudly.

I took a deep breath, and sat up, ignoring people's stares. "Shai, do you remember what happened last time you asked that question?"

She made a huffing noise, and replied, "I beat you up."

"By?"

"Punching you in the stomach."

"And then?"

"I got you in trouble."

"And how did you do that?"

"I broke one of your father's priceless vases."

"And what happened after that?"

"…"

"Well?"

"I… Tore up your bedroom, and kicked your ass again."

"Good. So now, I won't answer that question of yours." I said, crossing my arms and pretending to be really serious.

Shai stuck her tongue out at me, and crossed her arms as well.

This was going to be fun.

**XOXOXO **

_"It's the Forbidden Child!" A woman hissed, drawing herself away from a small boy that crouched on the floor. _

_The small boy's eyes narrowed, as he stood up and drew out a sword._

_And without warning, the woman fell to the ground, a slash starting from her forehead to her stomach covering her once woundless body._

_Blood stained the floor._

_The boy walked away._

_His cloak fluttering in the slight wind that picked up._

_Screams could be heard from behind him._

_Then… _

He ran.

_And the wind ran along with him._

**_XOXOXO _**

I sat up on my bed, breathing heavily.

Not another nightmare slash memory that wasn't mine like that.

This had to stop.

Looking up from my bed, I cast a look towards the corner, where I could feel a ghost there.

It was Red.

His eyes were purple again.

A second later, the purple slowly started to just, seep, out of his eyes.

And his eyes were a red color again.

He looked up at me, his eyes narrowing into a half glare, half wonderment look.

Straightening up, he crossed his arms, and stared at me.

I looked away from him.

It had been two days since I had the first memory that wasn't mine.

I haven't talked to Red since.

But every night, he was… you know. In the corner of my room.

Just…

Watching me.

I looked up again, to see if he was still watching me.

And well…

He was.

I quickly looked away, once more, feeling kind of… uncomfortable and very self-conscious.

Shai couldn't see him.

Which was the weird thing.

Yesterday I made her sleepover.

And in the night, I pointed him out to her.

But she couldn't see him.

It was weird.

While she can see ghosts and all, but she couldn't see Red.

I can remember what she said to me clearly.

_"Are you sure you're not going crazy Jo?"_

Yes. I'm sure I'm not going crazy.

So what if I can see ghosts, and my conscience is an annoying voice in my head.

But I'm not crazy.

Bam. Bam. Bam.

I was shook out of my thoughts, when I heard some banging on the front door.

Twitching with annoyance I jumped out of bed, and ran out of the room, preparing to give the person at my door a real ass kicking for coming to my house so late.

I reached the front door in seconds, and opened it with a bang.

"Hiei!" The person at the door called into my house, ignoring me for some reason.

Hiei….

It sounds so familiar…

God damn short term memory…

"What the hell, do you think you're doing?" I sneered at the person in front of me, glaring daggers.

Wait…

The person in front of me looks familiar as well…

* * *

Hei Huo 


	6. School Sucks Really

Hm...  
Well...  
I don't really like this chapter.  
XP  
That's all... 

Oh, and anything in _italics_, that means Jo's conscience is speaking to Jo.  
XD

**

* * *

School Sucks. Really.**

* * *

"So… What's your problem?" 

He looked up, blinking. Turning towards the window seat, where he had heard the voice, he found himself looking at a girl. A girl ghost to be exact.

The girl gazed back at him, her practically black eyes roaming across his face, sucking in every single detail.

"Am I going to get an answer from you?" The girl asked once more, her eyes locked onto his.

The girl was rather attractive actually. Black hair fell to her mid-back. Ice blue streaks here and there. The bottom of her hair was sprayed red, and her fingernails were painted a mellow pink.

"Hn." He answered back, crossing his arms.

She blinked, confused, and then rolled her eyes. "Are you one of those people that need to know who they're talking to?" She demanded, making a weird huffing noise, "'Cause if you are, I will just introduce myself," She paused for a moment, before continuing, "My name is Ivy. I am not obliged to tell you my last name. And your name is…?"

He didn't answer for a while, and merely watched as her face got an annoyed look on it. "I don't know." He suddenly stated, amused at the fact that her face had suddenly started to look as red as an apple from the frustration.

The redness from her face suddenly disappeared, and she gave me a pity-filled look. "Well… Don't give Jo such a hard time, neh? She's been through a lot, and although it was a while back, she doesn't seem to have gotten over them."

His thoughts returned to when he had that memory, that he was sure wasn't his. Of a small girl, and a dying woman.

Now that he thought about it, it was probably Jo's.

"So… What'd Jo name you?" Ivy asked happily, "Oh, and before you ask. I'm Jo's other best friend. The one that died, obviously."

"Red."

"Pft. Jo's horrible at naming people. She'll never find a good name for her child, if she gets one."

"Hn."

"Soo…."

**XOXOXO **

Oh shit.

Ivy was here in the house.

And I wasn't talking to her.

My ass was so going to get kicked by her the next time she sees me.

_Man, you have such violent friends! _

No, no. Not just me, you are me, so we have such violent friends.

_Oh no… Why? Why must you have such violent friends? Why must you torture me so!_

Blocking out any other words my conscience was telling me, I turned to face the guy in front of me.

Eep.

It was the guy that used to live here.

I think…

Actually.

No.

It couldn't be that guy...

Could it?

He had dyed his hair silver, and got golden contacts. Not to mention, he threw on some fake fox ears, and a fake fox tail.

I wonder where he got silver hair dye…

I also wonder where the hell would he find gold contacts…

The fake fox ears and tail I could understand.

"Um, excuse me. But it's midnight. I'm never going to get back the sleep I lost, and tomorrow is school. So…" I started, surprised to feel myself start to get really edgy and annoyed.

I only got this way when I felt something really abnormal.

And the guy in front of me seemed pretty normal.

Wait a second…

He was wearing a freaky toga like thing.

_Whoa! Cool!_

Damn conscience thinks the weirdest things are cool…

The guy, whatever his name was, stared coolly at me, a foxy grin slid onto his face.

I could feel myself start to get all sweaty.

Something was not right, something abnormal… And it wasn't a ghost.

This guy also looked like he was about to hit on me with that grin on his face.

Eep.

"Um… Hi? Was I speaking in English a second ago?" I started once more, making sure I was speaking in Japanese, in case the first time I had been speaking in English, "It's midnight. And if you must have that grin on your face, please don't point it at me."

I don't know what happened next, because suddenly Shai was in front of me, in her attack stance.

"Get in!" She hissed harshly at me, pushing me inside and slamming the door shut.

My god.

Where the hell did she come from?

Not to mention, who the hell was silver haired, golden eyes, wanna-be fox toga guy?

Boom.

Oh my god.

What the hell were they doing out there?

Throwing open the door, I found myself staring at nothing.

Well, I would have been lying if I said nothing.

I was staring at the tree that had been across the street that now had various claw marks that I could see from here. Not to mention, its branches were lying on the ground. Oh, and I also forgot to mention another tiny detail.

It was in the middle of the street.

Lights start to flicker on in other houses, so I quickly ducked inside, and ran upstairs.

Ivy was gone.

Red had his eyes closed, so I'm guessing he's sleeping.

He's kinda…

Cute when he's sleeping.

_Eww… But he's got cooties! _

My god. My conscience was a totally immature.

_And you're not? _

I'm not as immature as you.

_I'm just saying. You fall for boys too quickly, and they never like you back. They always fall for Ivy, or even Shai! So in the end, all you're doing is hurting yourself. _

I was silent.

My conscience was right about that.

But…

That's who I am.

I can't change that…

Silently walking past Red; I grabbed the blanket off my bed and went to sleep on the window seat.

The bed was too stuffy for me.

As I started to fall asleep, I caught sight of Red.

He was awake, if he had been sleeping, now and was watching me again.

A small smile slipped on my face.

It kind of felt… comfortable to know someone was always watching you…

As if I had a guardian angel.

But… if that guardian angel ever did anything perverted.

I'll sick Ivy on him.

_Cute, very cute. _

**_XOXOXO _**

"We have a new class joining us this semester." The teacher state, in a voice that literally bored me, even though I had just been listening to him for a second, "Her name is Jo. She's here from the U.S."

I hate being the new kid.

I never know how to act.

I especially hate standing up in front of everyone.

I placed a small fake smile on my face, and my hands tightened their grip on my bag.

My eyes searched the class room, for any signs of a kind face but…

There were practically none.

Except for the red head.

Hey!

It was the red head!

Except he looked even paler than the last time I saw him.

And he wasn't even looking at me.

Everyone's face was all like 'oh great, another new kid. Can't these new kids just stay in their old schools?'

_Sigh…_

Yep. Good going conscience.

_You think you can stay out of the counselor's office this time? _

I mentally twitched.

I don't think I can, I know I can.

I'm definitely not going to the counselor at this school.

**XOXOXO **

I could hear my conscience's hysterical laugh echoing through my head.

_I can't believe your dad sent a note to the school, and you're already in the counselor's office without you doing anything! _

…

Damn it.

"Now, Miss. Jo." The counselor said, taking sips of his tea, "Your father tells me you've been through some rather awful times. Care to tell?"

No I do not care to tell.

Do you think I would?

You just said it yourself; I've been through some awful times.

What kind of person would tell your kind of people their 'awful times'?

"…"

"Don't be shy, Miss. Jo, no one here is judging you." The counselor said again.

Except you. You will judge me.

So I will judge you.

You are a balding, middle aged man that reeks of tea.

_Tut, tut. Did he hit a nerve?_

…

I crossed my arms, turning my head away from the man.

Only to find myself looking straight into the eyes of Red.

A small shriek escaped my mouth, as I fell off the chair I was sitting on.

The counselor was probably staring at me right now.

I could hear the sound of a pen scratching on paper.

He was probably writing: This girl likes to shriek and fall off chairs for no apparent reasons. Might be suffering from hallucinations of tragic past.

All counselors slash physiatrists were the same anyway.

I turned to Red once more, only to find his eyes a deep shade of purple once more.

I hesitated only for a moment, before reaching out to him.

I was curious.

Maybe… Whenever his eyes were purple… If I touched him… I could see some memories of his.

_No! Don't! They'll send you to that white hell hole they call a haven! _

But it was too late.

My hand clasped around his wrist.

And almost immediately, I found myself in the same state I found myself the first time.

In a fog like place, where I could barely breathe, and move.

I'll probably black out in like…

Three…

Two…

On-

* * *

**Suntiger: **Well, your answer was partially correct. ;)  
And how come you haven't updated 'Ressurction' yet? XP 

**kavacam: **I never really thought my story had that much sad parts in it... XP  
And if you must know, I don't think the ending is going to be **that** happy. -

Thanks to everyone else that reviewed:3

Hei Huo


	7. Wrong Theory

Hm...  
Tests are starting...  
Reports are piling up...  
I can hardly see my keyboard underneath all the homework. (That was exagerating... But still...)

Hmm... My friends are pretty pissed at me... Don't know why... Soo... I'm sorry for updating kinda late again. XP

There are a couple more swear words here... So...  
Just a warning.

And enough of my rambling, onto the chapter!

* * *

**Wrong Theory

* * *

**I blinked, once, twice.

Wow.

Exactly how I felt the last time I went to see one of Red's memories.

Normal.

Picking myself off the ground, I was relieved to find out there wasn't blood underneath me. Also there were no bodies, no fire, and no smoldering flesh.

Taking a couple of deep breaths, I looked around for Red.

He was no where to be seen…

Damn…

I pushed strands of my hair out of my face and continued to walk through the forest I had landed in.

The trees looked all strange and funny…

I didn't know Japan had these types of trees…

I wonder what they're called…

Shaking my head, I turned to the matter at hand.

I don't know how long I've been out, and I don't know how much longer I can stay unconscious before the school sends me to the hospital…

A black blur passed right in front of my face.

Something sharp also pierced my cheek, and then passed right through.

Hm… So I couldn't get hurt here…

The black blur suddenly stopped in front of me, a smirk on his face.

"Hey Red!" I cried out, waving at him for fun, he couldn't see my anyway.

Of course he didn't notice, his crimson eyes focused on something behind me.

I turned around and my eyes found what Red was looking at.

Another crazy, insane lunatic dressed up as some kind of monster.

Where did Red find all these people?

Suddenly a thought entered my mind.

Was he going to kill this one as well…? 'Cause if he was, I was going to lose whatever I had for breakfast today…

I watched as the dressed up guy ran towards Red, both of them had swords…

Damn…

I don't want to watch…

I closed my eyes tightly, holding my breath.

But of course, my curiosity mixed with the instinct of having to know what happens to help Red move on, made me open my eyes.

Red was _losing_.

I mean, sure, he didn't look strong, but I always thought he was the kind that always won.

And sure, most ghosts I helped didn't use swords or fight with insane lunatics that dressed up as monsters, but still… Red was the kind of person I thought that, you know, always succeed in anything he tried to do.

I watched as the insane guy, whom was much bigger than Red by the way, pushed Red nearer and nearer to the edge of a cliff, which I just noticed was there.

Shit…

Is this how Red died?

I forced myself to watch some more, so that I could help him move on.

_You don't want him to go… You're so selfish. _

Damn my conscience…

My conscience is wrong...

I saw a type of jewel, I think, perfectly round, and glittering in the sun. The jewel hung off Red's neck by a simple string.

Red's eyes were focused on the jewel.

The lunatic swung his sword.

Red leaned back, to avoid the sword slashing his face. Oh yea, Red was much shorter than the lunatic.

And the sword cut through the string keeping the jewel on Red's neck.

The jewel, along with a little bit of the string, flew into the air, Red's eyes still locked on it, and then fell.

I suppose there was a river under the cliff; I could hear a water sound.

Maybe the jewel was why Red was hanging around?

Add that to the theory list.

Shit…

My hands flew towards my mouth to keep me from losing my breakfast.

Red was falling off the cliff.

I hate watching people's deaths!

Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit…

I heard a sort of twanging sound, and Red suddenly appeared out of no where, a pissed off look on his face.

He held out his sword and it went right through the lunatic.

Blood escaped its rightful home.

Before I started to black out again, which probably meant the memory was done, I saw Red looking over the cliff, looking even more pissed.

Yep, it was probably the jewel.

That's why he was hanging around…  
_  
_**XOXOXO **

_Wailing sounds coming from the ambulance. _

_Red, blue lights flashing in my eyes. _

_Police men telling me I should get back. _

_Paramedics telling me this is my only chance. _

_Too much things happening at once. _

_They push me towards the wrecked black car. _

_I hear a crying from inside. _

_My breath gets caught in my throat. _

_This can't be happening… It can't! _

"_Jo…" _

_I bend down, still in a trance like state. _

_I see her, Ivy, the strong one. The one that never cracks. The one that never cries. _

_She's sobbing her eyes outs, blood spread around her. _

_She's trapped under the car, her lower body slowly being crushed. _

"_Don't be like me. Never cry. It just makes you lose faith in humanity." She sobs. _

_I'm still in a trance. _

_How could this happen? _

_And then they pull me away, pushing me towards the ambulance. _

_My brother's inside. _

_He's unconscious. _

_There's also a bunch of blood around him. _

_He's on life support I think. _

_They drive to the hospital. _

_The ambulance is still wailing. _

_This isn't happening. _

_It's a fucking bad nightmare. _

_The machine starts to beep slower. _

_I didn't think they had those kinds of machines in an ambulance. _

_His eyes open suddenly, and he starts to choke. _

_Before he died he said his last words to me as well. _

"_I hate seeing you cry." _

_And then he died. _

_What the hell just happened! _

**XOXOXO**

I sat up, and immediately looked around for a trash can.

I could feel my breakfast gurgling around in my stomach.

I couldn't really tell where I was, except that there was a trash can a bit away from me.

Grabbing the trash can, I let my breakfast go.

Damnit…

If all Red's memories were like that, I am so going to be starved and dehydrated and sick to my stomach.

And if I see all my horrible memories after seeing Reds'…

I can't say I'll still be alive…

"Ms Jo. I'm glad you're decided to join us in the real world."

Damnit…

The counselor's still here?

"I see you might be a rather hard case to crack," He started, "So I'll be sending you to a friend of mine. She'll help you better than I can."

Don't talk about me like I'm a 'case to crack'.

I'm a real person!

He suddenly handed me a slip of paper.

"You'll be going there everyday after school, starting tomorrow. If you don't go, I'll be forced to call your parents."

Damnit…

The old 'I'll be forced to call your parents' threat.

…

I'm still scared of it.

Stupid asshole, I'm gonna kick his ass, if only you weren't a teacher…

I growled slightly, and angrily crumpled the piece of paper in my hand.

I'm really gonna kick your ass; you just wait you… smug bald bastard that… is forcing me to go to a random person's house…

_Hm… Swearing in your mind, eh? _

Oh shut up, you stupid smug conscience… I'll kick your ass too... You just wait, I'll show you...

**XOXOXO **

"Take off your cloak." I ordered, facing Red.

He seemed startled.

"I'm not going to do anything perverted, I need to check something…"

He glared at me, but after hesitating, simply took off his cloak.

I blushed.

He was wearing this shirt I had only seen on pictures of gangsters. Kinda like a sleeveless top, except more boyish.

And I could see his muscles.

Still blushing, I noticed two strings around his neck.

His shirt was hiding what was on the strings.

I absent-mindly leaned close to him, and brought out the jewels.

Yep, plural.

Jewels.

They looked about the same to me, and obviously Red wasn't hanging around to look for the one he lost.

It looked like he had found the one he lost plus another one.

Poo…

Scratch that theory off the list.

"What the hell are you doing?"

I tilted my head slightly, only to find myself too close to Red's face for my liking.

Shit…

**XOXOXO **

Why are there so much stairs?

Why, why, why?

I was out of breath by the time I got to the top of all those damn stairs.

My face was red as well, and I was all sweaty.

Why, why did the counselor's friend have to live in a temple?

Why?

Mumbling curses under my breath I knocked on the old fashioned Japanese door.

The one that slides back and forth.

Those doors are fun to play with when they belong to you.

I knocked again.

No one was answering.

Knock.

Silence.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Silence.

Pound. Kick. Curse.

Silence.

I twitched.

You've got to be kidding me.

I was just about to leave when I heard the door slide open, and something hit me rather hard on the back of my head.

"Ow!" I exclaimed, rubbing my head.

There was going to be a bump tomorrow…

I turned around, pretty pissed off.

Behind me stood an old woman.

She had faded pink hair, which I'm guessing she dyed, and brown eyes.

She was currently glaring at me.

"Come in, baka." She muttered under her breath, and without even waiting for my answer, spun around and walked into the temple.

Man, Japan had a lot of weird people…

* * *

**Sinn7132: **I try to update at least once every three days, but that never works, so I end up updating once a week...  
I'm glad you like my story:3  
And yes, Jo talks rather... 'specially.'

**Suntiger: **Eep, I'm sorry for bothering you. XP  
Well, I'm sure you'll make an excellent therapist... I used to want to be one, but then I got tired of listening to people not cooperating when I tried to help them... XP I'm really impatient sometimes...

**Angel134826: **Sure! You can use some ideas, but don't steal them! And I'm glad you like my story as well.

**chaostenshi: **I can cut you off whenever I want. :coughIamevilcough:

**Jadeelf: **Well, yep, kind of. Techincally everyone's pretty upset, but I just haven't introduced 'everyone' yet.

And thanks again to everyone who reviewed!

Hei Huo


	8. Another Clue

Sorry for updating so late.  
Tests finished a bit ago, but I have to start packing... x.x  
So... I apologize for the fact this is REALLY late, and the fact that it's kinda short.  
Enjoy.

**_

* * *

_****Another Clue  
_

* * *

"It's rather sad actually."_**

_"…"_

**_"You cannot protect her forever."_**

_"But I can try."_

**_"Don't be so sure."_**

_"I am."_

**_"It is yours, and her, death."_**

_"And so it will be."_

**XOXOXO **

I don't see why I have to meditate.

I don't study karate or martial arts, or crap like that.

I want to study how to use a sword though.

Swords are fun.

And sharp.

Slap.

"Ow!" I cried out, rubbing the back of my stinging head, "What was that for?"

"You're not concentrating." The old woman replied back, in a really harsh voice.

What was her name again?

Gen… Gen… Gen something. Genkai I believe it was.

I have horrible memory…

"I am too." I muttered back.

Shoot.

I was starting another pointless argument.

Genkai glared at me, and replied back, "I can hear them. Your thoughts. There's too much at one time. You need to clear your mind."

What was she?

Psychic

Puh-lease.

She was friends with that counselor.

How psychic could she be?

But I settled down for a moment, letting my mind go blank.

…

Red popped into my mind.

Oh shit, I was doing good, not thinking about anything for like… A second, and then Red just had to go and pop into my mind!

I wonder where he is anyway…

Shoot…

Genkai suddenly got up, staring harshly at me, before turning around.

She started to walk out of the room.

"Wait! Where am I supposed to go?" I stumbled over the Japanese words that flew out of my mouth, as well as stumbling over my clumsy feet.

"Stay here." She muttered, and then closed the old fashioned sliding door with a snap.

"Stay here." I mocked, making my voice unnaturally high.

"I heard that."

I shivered, casting a look on the sliding doors, was she out there? Or did she just have really good hearing?

"Something… calls me here."

I scrambled back, my heart pounding, hitting my head in the process.

Red had come out of no where, and just started talking.

"There's a girl… I remember…"

My chest suddenly started to ache for some strange reason, and I bit my lip.

_The green tongue of envy slowly slithers out of your mouth… _

I winced, I didn't know what to say to my conscience, 'cause I think it was right.

"She… Is… Different from the others…"

Yep, they were probably dating.

The door slid open, and I hastily got to my feet, and pretended Red wasn't there.

It wasn't Genkai though; it was a sea green haired girl.

I bet she dyes her hair.

She was about the same size as me, me being very small.

But she looked more fragile.

Also, she had the most stunning crimson eyes I have ever seen.

Crimson eyes that looked kinda familiar…

Hm, oh well. I'll figure it out later.

"Hello!" I cried out happily, sticking my hand in front of her, "The name's Jo."

"Jo… I am… Yukina." The girl mumbled back, I think she was surprised at my actions.

"Well Yukina, why are you here?" I asked. I don't know why I suddenly asked that question.

I think maybe it's 'cause Genkai, I believe, is a counselor type person.

Maybe Yukina's here for… counseling?

Something about her screamed depression either way.

She seemed stunned, and gave me a small smile, her crimson eyes filling up with tears.

"Oh shit. I didn't mean to make you cry. I mean um… Well, you don't have to answer the question." I said quickly, trying to calm the other girl down.

_Damn. You can make people cry rather easily can't ya? _

Yukina sniffled, I think she was trying not to cry, and smiled through her unshed tears. "No, it's alright. I shouldn't be crying anyway."

I nodded, and then for some reason took a quick glance at my watch.

At the same moment, I remembered Red was still here.

Somewhere…

My eyes lighted up as I saw him, staring at Yukina.

He had this strange look on his face.

The look that recognized Yukina, but couldn't quite place her.

I shrugged, and then gave a quick smile to Yukina.

"Gomen, but I'll have to be going. It's been… well… Nice meeting ya Yukina!" I said, hastily getting up to my feet, tripping slightly, again, and running out the door.

Screw the fact that I'm supposed to wait for Genkai.

It was getting late, and man, if my parents were home, I would be dead.

**XOXOXO **

_**"Look at her… She knows nothing… Nothing of the deeds she will do. The people she will hurt. The people she will lose." **_

_"Why…"_

_**"Because… She has chosen the path." **_

_"But she doesn't deserve it! Although you think she may, I know her better, she dose not, deserve it!"_

_**"Do not argue with the higher power. This is something you cannot change." **_

_"But…"_

_**"She chose to walk down this path. When she chose to help him." **_

_"She… She cannot help it. Why, why should she be punished for something that he may have don-"_

_**"Silence. I cannot change it now. All you can do now, is watch." **_

_"But…"_

_**"There is nothing… you can do…" **_

**XOXOXO **

"Touchdown!" I exclaimed, rushing through the door of my house, and throwing my bag down as if it were a football.

My parents weren't home.

Again.

I know I should be used to it, but… You know, it does get lonely in a house like this.

"I think… I know why I'm here."

Oh crap!

I spun around, surprised, something I seem to be doing a lot these days.

It was Red. Once again.

He stared at me, his eyes boring into mine.

I think I started to flush, but I quickly mentally slapped myself.

Finally, his words fell into my ears, and I jumped up.

"Yay! Good, now tell me why."

I felt… weird...

I don't know why either…

Poo…

"That girl. In the temple." He started, never blinking.

Yukina.

"Yea, what about her?"

He chose his words carefully, "I think… I think she may have been something to me."

Well, duh, I knew that.

Once again I felt kinda jealous.

But Yukina was nice. And innocent. And calm. And… so… perfect…

_Oh just listen to him._

I rolled my eyes, but turned my full attention onto Red.

"What was she to you?" I asked, forcing the words to come out of my almost closed up throat.

He shrugged, this time his eyes wandered away from me.

"Maybe… I was in love with her…"

And my world just got a whole lot worse.

* * *

Ah-hem.  
Kinda weird, I know. :3  
I don't have time to answer review right now... x.x  
But thanks to everyone who reviewed!  
I love reviews.

Hei Huo 


	9. Photos

Okay...  
This shall be my last update in China.

Four days later I'll be on a plane back to the U.S.

Again, sorry about the lateness... x.x

* * *

**Photos

* * *

**"Okay, um… Great!" I exclaimed, trying to sound as normal as possible, "So I'll just… Go ask her about how she knows you… Bye!"

I quickly ran out of the house, ignoring anyone who stared at me.

_Why are you like this? _

Because I want to be.

_He's just another boy. _

But there's something different 'bout him.

_Get over him. _

I will… Just gimmie some time…

I slowed down to a walk, after making sure I was no where near my house.

After making sure I was no where near my house, I noticed a couple of things.

I forgot my bag, which held my keys, cell phone, and money.

I had no clue where I was.

So, in other words, I was hopelessly lost.

I groaned, but continued to walk straight ahead.

Soon I found myself in the woods, or a forest, of some kind.

I shrugged and continued to walk.

My parents were probably on another trip, so it didn't matter what time I would come home.

Shai was… Somewhere…

And Ivy…

Well Ivy wouldn't be visiting me anytime soon…

I sighed, and started to run again.

I continued to run, until the trees covered the moon, and I was completely lost.

I mean like, completely.

I ran until my knee hit something. Then my hip hit it. Then my elbow hit it.

I went down with bad words shooting out of my mouth.

A bunch of paper like things fell down with me.

Groaning, I rubbed my knee with one hand, and pushed myself up with the other.

I turned around and glared at the… lump in front of me, it was too dark to see what it actually was.

And then…

I kicked it.

But the lump like thing was obviously made out of stone…

So I succeeded in only bruising, perhaps breaking my toes.

"Damnit!" I swore loudly, clenching my teeth together.

_You need to get home soon. _

I will... I'm going now.

I picked up a couple of the paper-like things on the ground, because I wanted to burn them later for the pain the big lump caused me.

**XOXOXO **

"Jo! What the hell are you doing here?"

I gasped for breath.

I had finally escaped the forest slash wood of doom, only to bump into Shai.

In the middle of the night.

"Do you know what time it is?" She yelled at me, I could see a vein popping in her forehead, "You're not supposed to be out at a time like this!"

"You're out." I muttered back, getting a headache from her yelling.

It was a wonder someone didn't call the police.

"Yeah well…" Shai's voice trailed off.

I hated when she acted like… The mother I would've had…

"Anyway, I'm lost, cold, in pain, and helpless. Mind giving me a hand back to my house?" I said to her, poking the bruise on my elbow and wincing.

Shai nodded, "Sure, but tell me what's in your hand."

I blinked, and looked down. I forgot I was holding the papers.

In the dim moonlight, I could make out that the 'papers' were actually photos.

And in the photos there were a pair of crimson eyes that I knew very well.

"Umm… Photos. I was picking them up… Um… My father wanted them, there um…" I started to talk really quickly, only pausing to take a couple of breaths.

Shai politely made me shut up before I could finish though.

When I say politely shut up, I mean slap a hand over my mouth and flick me on the forehead.

"Damn… You sure are grouchy today…" I growled at her, rubbing my forehead.

She was silent, strangely silent.

I shrugged; I had my own problem to deal with.

We walked in silence.

"Why are you so nervous about the photos?" Shai suddenly piped up, turning her head to look at me.

"Because um… My father's doing this top-secret thing… And um… It's really important that no one can see it… So… Um… No one's allowed to see i-"

"Jeez Jo. When was the last time we kept something from each other?" Shai started, she seemed a bit annoyed, "Are those pictures really pictures of your boyfriend? And you and him in sexual positions?"

I could tell she was sarcastic, but to keep her from asking anymore questions, I sacrificed my pride. And perhaps my fake virginity…

"Yes."

A shocked silence followed my word.

"Can I see them?"

The sound of my gagging followed Shai's words.

**XOXOXO **

"Hey um… Red?"

"Hn."

"Really sorry about running out on you a bit ago," I stuttered, poking my pointer fingers together, "I had to um… Well… I um…"

He stared at me, obviously I was not going to come up with anything believable so I just stood there poking my fingers together.

_Tell him about the photos! _

But I didn't get to see them yet!

_Tell him! _

I mentally groaned at my conscience, but stuck my hand into my left pocket, making sure the folded up photos were still there.

"Um… Red? While I was out… I found something…"

He stared at me, not bothering to talk. Man, he was getting his old self back and his old self really wasn't a talker, eh?

"Oh my god! I must've dropped them somewhere!"

I made a big, and most likely fake looking, thing where I stuck my hands in my pockets, took them out, and had this, fake, look on my face of complete, fake, surprise.

"What are you doing?" He muttered at me, now looking at me as if I were crazy.

With the way I was acting, I would've thought I was crazy if I could've seen myself.

I opened my mouth, and a nervous laugh escaped. "I… Well… Um… G'Night!"

I quickly climbed up the stairs, no; I bounded up the stairs, and ran into my room. Slamming the door, and locking it, I threw myself onto my bed.

"Gosh…"

**XOXOXO**

_Why didn't you show him! _

Wow, are you mad or something?

_I'm trying to help you get rid of another ghost! Why didn't you show him? _

Yep, my conscience sounded really pissed.

… _What's wrong with you? _

Nothing…

_You're hiding the photos from him. _

No I'm not… I'm… Keeping them a secret… That's all.

_Whatever… Don't you want to get rid of him? _

No…

_What? _

I um… Just… um… Forget what I said. Really.

_Fine… _

After making sure I cut off all connection with my conscience, if that was possible; and making sure Red had disappeared out of the house, I took out the photos one by one.

I unfolded the first one, and sucked in my breath.

Red was there.

Obviously.

The red headed dude was there.

The one that used to live here.

There was another boy with raven black hair.

He was the one I saw before the first time I blacked out.

There was yet another boy with orange hair.

He was also a boy I saw before I blacked out the first time.

They all looked as if they just finished fighting with someone. Their clothes were ripped here and there, mud, dirt, and… Blood? Whatever, random stuff stained their clothes as well.

All four of them held some wounds, like scratches and stuff like that. The orange haired dude was being held up by the red haired dude and the black haired dude though. It seemed the orange haired dude had hurt his leg or something.

All of them were smiling though.

I slightly smiled after seeing the photo, and placed it next to me, on the bed.

I reached in my pocket and pulled out another photo.

This one had Red, the orange haired dude, the black haired dude, and Yukina.

The orange haired dude was holding Yukina's small hand in his large one, and was on one knee, proposing or something.

When I looked closer, it seemed the orange haired dude was proposing!

Hm… This was sort of confusing.

Red was in love with an engaged slash married girl.

I reached into my pocket again and pulled out the last of the photos.

It had a ton of people in it.

Well not a ton, but a lot.

Yukina, Red, the other three boys that were with Red in the first picture, a brown haired girl, a blue haired girl, this brown haired dude… And… Genkai! Which was rather surprising 'cause, no offense to her, I didn't think she had a life outside the temple.

So…

A lot of people knew Red…

I just had to ask these people some casual question about Red.

Yes…

_How could you be casual when asking about a dead friend?_

Yes…

I do believe I need to think this through some more…

**XOXOXO **

"Jeez Shai! Where are we going?" I whined, crossing my hands, trying to stop them from ripping off the blindfold on my face.

"Just wait!"

I mentally rolled my eyes, but continued to walk.

Shai was showing me a surprise today.

I'm hoping she wasn't going to take me to see anything perverted…

I mean, just because of yesterday.

"Ta-da!" She explained, and ripped off the blindfold for me.

I gasped.

It was Genkai's temple.

"What are we doing here!" I hissed at her.

I had missed a lesson yesterday.

Because I overslept.

I also missed school yesterday.

Luckily today was Saturday.

Shai started to fake whine, and got fake tears in her eyes. "I… I was going to introduce you to some of my friends… I didn't want you to be all lonely and all…" She sniffed, wiping away the fake tears.

I sighed, and grinned at her. "Thanks" I said, and then pushed her, just for fun, "Introduce me to your friends!"

She nodded, and took a few steps. Suddenly she stopped, and then turned to me. "Okay, here. One of their friends recently died so please, please, don't mention anything about death." She whispered quickly to me, whilst shaking me rather hard by the shoulders.

Because she was shaking me, I couldn't get out words out, so I just nodded furiously.

She sighed with relief and let go of me.

"Thanks a lot Shai." I muttered, rubbing my shoulders, and glaring at her.

She gave me another smile. "So… Let's go in and meet the rest of the gang!"

And then…

A scream broke the calmness of the area.

It came from the forest.

And belonged to a female.

Perhaps…

Yukina?

* * *

You know the drill.  
Read&Review Please. 

Hei Huo


	10. Realization

I'm so fricken' embarassed. xP;;

For two things. One, because I updated so late, and two, because I forgot my password.

I had to call some friends who knew my password in China, and I could never catch them because of the time difference. When I finally caught them, it was way too late, and I was sleepy. But, I finally got my password, plus had a nice chat with my friends, so there is a plus to the minus side. xD;;

Anyway, here it is. The plots going to be pretty stable after a few more chapters, and there will be a LOT more action, promise. :3

* * *

**Realization**

* * *

Shai turned from trying to help my social life, to accidently trying to kill me in only seconds after the scream.

"Stay here." She said harshly, her eyes dartings towards the forest, where the scream came from.

When I tried to argue with her, she merely pushed me back, and ran into the forest.

I wobbled, trying to regain my balance. Hoping I was far away from the stairs, I took a glance behind me.

A lump of what would have become a scream caught in my throat.

Here I was, almost about to fall, right on the edge of the stairs of doom I had to climb up. The tumble down the stairs, itself, would kill me. If not, I would probably kill myself by biting my tongue so bad, I would bleed to death.

Turning my head back, I closed my eyes and gulped.

**XOXOXO**

_"You're kidding me, right? This is how she's going to die!"_

_**"You must think she is rather weak and clumsy. I thought you admired her."**_

_"I do! But she is weak and clumsy! She'll never survive if she falls!"_

_**"Calm down. This will not be how she goes."**_

_"Good. 'Cause if she was going to die like this, you would see a lot more deaths like hers happening every day."_

**XOXOXO**

I gasped with relief, as I felt somebody's hands steady me from falling, one grabbing my elbow.

"Oh my gosh, thank you so much." I said, breathlessly, holding onto the person's hand as I got back onto my own feet.

Turning around, I prepared to thank the person much more formal and better, than I just did a second ago.

My eyes widened, and I was glad that our jaws cannot drop all the way down to our feet.

It was the red haired dude. As pale as last time I saw him. But he talked more than he talked to me before, combined.

"You should watch yourself, Miss." He said softly, his eyes gazing straight into mine, "You might really hurt yourself one day."

"Been there, done that." I said to him, but gave him a huge smile just as a thanks.

He nodded once more, and then was about to move on and past me, when he suddenly stopped, right next to me. "May I ask what you're doing here?"

"Oh, my friend, Shai, brought me here as a surprise." I said, careful not to do any sudden moves, or else I woud go falling down the stairs again.

He looked at me for a moment longer, silence in the air. "Then you must be… Jo."

How did he- I mean, I never even told him my name.

"Oh wow, are you pyscic like that old ha- I mean Genkai is?" I said enthusiastically, bringing my hands together.

A small smile slipped onto his face. "No… Shai told me about you."

Before I could say anything, the smile dropped off his face. "Did you hear a scream around here?"

I nodded, and then pointed towards the direction where Shai left.

**XOXOXO**

I was amazed at the scene before me.

Yukina was on the dirt ground, sobbing, her hands covering her face. An orange haired dude stood in front of her, trying to get her to stop crying.

A raven dude stood in front of, what seemed like a grave, his hands curled into a fist, and a 'I'm-going-to-kill-whoever-did-this' look in his eye. Shai stood besides him, a hand on his shouldar, trying to calm him down, obviously.

"What happened here?"

I looked at the red haired dude, surprised. His voice had gotten cold and steely, his green eyes flashing with anger. And were they changing into a golden color?

No, that was impossible.

_Nothing's impossible!_

Just like my conscience to say that.

"We don't know." The orange dude said, looking up, "Yukina found it like this a few minutes ago."

"I can't believe someone would be such an asshole to vandalize a grave!" The raven haired dude hissed, one hand uncurling from a fist, and placed gently on top of the grave stone.

I averted my eyes from Yukina to the grave.

And my eyes widened.

Pieces of paper, no, photos, littered the ground close to it. Some of the photos were blown onto trees by the wind, some half buried in loose dirt.

The grave was simple. A simple gravestone. Like the ones in the cemetary. Fresh flowers adorned its base. Not to mention photos were plastered all over the front of the grave.

But that wasn't what surprised, no, scared me.

It was the big 'lump' I had bumped into, and kicked the night, or two, before.

It was also the place where I had gotten those pictures…

My eyes widened some more.

These people! They were from the picture! Genkai, Yukina, the three boys that were strangers to me.

This was where Red's body rested. These were his friends.

I felt my stomach lurch.

Oh crap, not again.

Hey! Is that one of those gems I saw around Red's neck…?

**XOXOXO**

"I'm really, really sorry about your shoes." I apologized, for like the millionth time, holding a wet cloth to my forehead.

The red haired dude, Suiichi he was called, shook his head, and gave me a small smile. "It's quite alright. No real harm done." He said, reassuring me.

A small snicker came from the sofa in front of me. The raven haired dude was there, Yusuke, I think his name was. "Yeah, although it was all over your shoes, and bottom of your uniform. No real harm was done." He said, I knew he was teasing, but still, it got me fricken embarassed.

"Yusuke! You asshole! Don't insult my friend!" Shai scolded, slapping him on the back of his head.

I saw her eyes shift towards Suiichi for a moment, and they softened.

Could it be…

Shai, the girl whom declared all boys had cooties at even her age…

Had a crush?

On, probably, the most eligble bachelor in my school?

This was unbelieveable.

A sly smirk crossed my face.

She would never hear the end of this from me.

"Are you sure you're alright, Jo-chan?" Yukina said to me, entering the room with a basin full of warm, steamy water, in her hands.

I nodded, wincing a little at how horrible my American name sounded with the Japanese word on the end.

"Let me get that for you, Yukina-chan." Another voice said, a pair of large hands gently removing the basin from Yukina's petite ones.

This was Kazuma. Shai said everyone called him Kuwabara, his last name. But Yusuke was called by Yusuke, and Suiichi was called Suiichi, and those were all their first names, so why shouldn't I called Kazuma, Kazuma?

I felt the sofa shift a little, and I looked beside me.

"So, how do you like your new friends?" Shai said to me, not even bothering to lower her voice.

I blushed, embarassed.

"I'vr had better." I smirked, and ducked as a pillow came flying towards me, from Yusuke's direction.

**XOXOXO**

Suiichi, or better yet known as Kurama, stared out at the night sky, standing all alone on the porch of the temple.

The door behind him slid open, and out came Shai, two cups of tea, spiked with a bit of beer, in her hands.

"Really strong tea?" She offered, pulling him down, and forcing him to sit, while she herself took a seat besides him.

"Hiei wouldn't want you to mourn so long for him." Shai whispered, taking a sip out of the cup in her hand.

Kurama sighed, and nodded. "I know but… His soul still hasn't turned up. He could be anywhere…" He answered back, setting the cup down.

Shai paused, the cup halfway to her mouth. "That only means he has a chance of becoming alive again. I mean, his body was never found, he could force his way back into it…"

Silence was met with Shai's remark, but was then broken again by Shai.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to talk about that. I know you're still sensitive about i-"

Kurama shook his head, silencing her when he placed his hand over her mouth. "It's alright. I just… Don't want to hear about it right now…"

He let his hand drop, and Shai bit her lip, her face flushed.

"Yusuke and Kazuma seemed to have lightened up a bit." Kurama said, trying to get into more 'happy' conversation.

"Yeah, well, Jo has that effect on people." Shai replied, a smile slipping onto her face.

A chuckle escaped Kurama's mouth. "Especially since you threatened to kill them if they wouldn't meet her."

Shai laughed, setting her cup down, "Well, they needed some cheering up. I mean, look at Yukina, she seems a bit happier now. I mean, she hasn't laughed in like, a while."

Kurama nodded sadly, "It's just a pity that Hiei had to… Go, just as Yukina and him made everthing right between them…"

Another silence, and Shai scooted closer to Kurama. Placing her hand over his, she smiled, tilting her head up to the sky.

You could tell that the red head was a bit nervous, but he calmed down after a bit. "It'll be alright. I have a feeling someone knows where Hiei is. And when we find that someone, everything'll go back to normal." Shai stated firmly, squeezing Kurama's hand.

Too bad she didn't know that someone was right under her nose.

**XOXOXO**

_"It really begins now.. . Doesn't it?"_

_**"Hai. Now, everyone's trust in her will be tested."**_

**XOXOXO**

* * *

Hei Huo 


	11. Mistress

Okay so here it is!

Enjoy!

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**Mistress

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**

"Where is he!"

"I-I'm sorry… T-There was no sign of him, mistress. H-He seems to be-"

"Silence! I don't want your terribly ugly voice disturbing the beauty of my castle!"

"G-Gomen!"

"What did I just say?"

"…"

"Good. I have no need of you anymore. Good Bye, and of course, as always, tell Koenma I sent you!"

"N-No! Mistress! Please, wait!"

A horrifying scream erupted from the victom, and a bright light lit up the room the two were in.

It showed a young girl, looking no more than 12. Silky golden hair gently flowed down her back, in waves, ending just above her waist. Her eyes were large, abnormally large, and a pure white, with no pupils, giving her, the young innocent girl look.

If, of course, it wasn't for the malicious smile on her face, and the fact that her left hand had impaled her victom through the stomach, blood staining the white dress she wore.

Her victom was a demon of some sort. But of course, he was one of the 'ugly' demons, and she, the mistress of this castle would not stand for ugly.

"You see, after you become no use to me, you die. Unless, you're abnormally cute." The girl whispered into the dead demon's ear.

She took her hand out, allowing the body to slide down to the floor. "Clarice!" She called, her voice strangly enchanting.

A teenage boy entered. Dark purple hair sweeping to his shouldars, and a piercing golden eyed stare. "You called, mistress?" The boy said, bowing.

The girl skipped towards the boy, and threw herself on top of him, in what seemed to be a hug…

"You're just so cute! When I see you, I just have to hug you!" The girl laughed, playing with the boy's hair.

The boy was impassive, and lay on the ground, as the girl on top of him layed her head on his chest. "Do you want me to get rid of the body, mistress? And get you a clean dress?"

The girl nodded, and got off of the boy. He walked towards the body, and picked it up easily. "I will be back in a moment mistress. The others need to be fed."

After the boy disappeared, the girl walked to the west wall, and placed her hand on a stone. It easily pushed in, and a passage way appeared. She walked into it, and after a bit stopped, having reached her destination.

A door. Around her size, which was pretty small. She opened it, and entered the room, which was brightly lit. "I see you faeries have been following my orders." She smirked, tapping a jar where a blue, well, fairy, fluttered, her tiny hands pressed against the jar's glass.

The girl smirked, and walked all the way across the room, stepping over dried blood puddles, and glaring at each fairy who was watching her.

"Hiei…" She mumbled to herself, lifting her hand, and gently caressing the boy's cheek.

On the wall, was a boy. Obviously dead. His skin was pale, his eyes closed. Blood stained most of his body, except his face. He was attached to the wall with two daggers. One in his right hand, and one in his left, his feet only scraping the ground.

"You may have managed to escape me by death, but you forget. No one escapes me." The girl said lovingly, her hand running across his face.

"And because you managed to escape this once," The girl began, her voice getting harder, "You will pay!"

She slapped the boy's cheek, his head jerked to one side, before dropping down once more.

"I'll make sure your little friends, and whoever your hiding behind, will die. In front of you. Painfully. Just to make it fun."

As the girl left, and the room dimmed. The blue fairy the girl had talked to before watched the dead boy. She fluttered around the jar anxiously, ramming into the side which wasn't facing the wall.

After a bit, it finally fell to the ground, breaking on impace. The fairy flew under the door. The poor boy did not deserve to be tortured by that… That mentally unstable girl… She had seen too many people dragged into the room, and tortured, but this boy was the first one to escape.

This young water fairy would help the boy.

It was the least she could do.

**XOXOXO**

"Hey Shai? I'm coming over to meet you guys right now!" Jo said happily into the phone, her hair that was normally left alone, swept into a ponytail today.

The smile she had on slowly slid off her face, but when she spoke again, she was still trying hard to sound happy. "Hm? Alright. Okay, nah, it's not a problem. I know you gusy are busy. See ya later!"

Jo hung up the phone, and sank to the floor, biting her lip. "Damn… They've been busy for a week now."

It's been a month since she got aquainted with Yusuke and Kuwabara and Suiichi and the rest. And it was really fun having more friends than Shai and Ivy, but they sometimes made up stupid excuses saying they were busy…

She was silent for a moment, before sighing and she lay down, streching herself on the carpeted floor. "I wonder what they're doing…"

**XOXOXO**

Shai hung up the phone, sighing, and facing the others, stood up from where she was kneeling. "Well… She bought it…"

Kuwabara winced, as he applied pressure to his left leg, and stood up. "I feel kinda guilty now…" He said, trying to keep his balance, before finally having to sit down.

The five of them had just gotten back from a mission Koenma sent them on. Shai said it would be good to go to get their minds off a certain someone. The boys agreed, and went. However, they were badly wounded by the time they got back. No, not your life-or-death wound, but just bad wounds that would keep them from doing regular things.

Kuwabara had, obviously, wounded his leg, and still could not walk very well.

Yusuke, his arm, and the fact he used all his spirit energy, leaving him tired, and in pain.

Kurama had gotten a pretty bad stomach wound, a sword had impaled him.

Shai was… Well… She was pretty much unscathed. She would've been hurt, but Kurama had pushed her away at the last second. That's how he got his wound.

Yukina was gone for the moment, having gone with Shizuru to another city. It was also to get her mind off a certain someone. So, the four had to take care of their wounds with a bit of help from Genkai, and the rest by doing it the old fashion way.

"Yeah well, we can't exactly go meet her in this state." Yusuke shot at Kuwabara, as he lounged on the sofa.

"Hai… She'd ask us what happened and then force us to the hospital…" Shai said, and then started for the other room. "I'll get more bandages you guys."

**XOXOXO**

"Are you kidding me? Hiei is hiding with this… this… WRENCH?"

"Mistress. You know I don't joke. It seems one of the psycics have finally located him, and he's been with this girl for a while now."

"…How long?"

"Around 3-5 months now."

"WHAT?"

The girl motioned for Clarice, the teenage boy, to walk closer. He was holding a large white bowl of some sort, with a sort of liquid in it.

The liquid reflected a girl, a nigen to be exact. She was happily chatting on the phone. But that wasn't important. It was what, or should we say, who, whom was behind her. It was Hiei. In spirit form. A ghost. And he was staring at the girl, in a slight sort of protective way.

Clarice had only seen the mistress this mad once, and that was a thousand years ago as well.

"This wrench isn't even pretty! How can he stay with her!" The girl screamed in rage, knocking the heavy bowl out of Clarice's hands. It smashed, a pool of liquid still showing the nigen girl on the phone.

"I will not stand for it! No one defies me! I'm Xyana! And Xyana never allows anyone that's not pretty take her things."

Clarice stared cooly, kneeling onto the ground, and picking up the bowl. That nigen girl was as good as dead now.

**XOXOXO**

_**3 Months Later.**_

"Hey Shai! We still up for tomorrow, right?"

"…"

"What's the matter Shai…?"

"Um… Tomorrow is kind of the anniversity of Hiei's death…"

"Oh, well, sorry to bother you then…"

"Come on Jo! Don't get me wrong! I know it's your b-"

I slammed the phone down, and glared at it.

Why, oh why, does all the bad things happen to me?

_Pft. Why, oh why, did I get stuck with such a negative girl like you?_

I turned around, and saw Red. He was leaning on the wall, his eyes turned to me.

I was used to it by now. It had been like, 6 months. 3 months since I first got here and met him. Then another 3 months since I met Yusuke and them.

Okay, you know how I found those pictures? And Yusuke and them were in it? Well, I still haven't told Red.

I know it's bad, and selfish, and downright bitchy, but I don't know… I don't want him to go.

_My gawd, woman. How much times do I have to tell you? I AM YOUR CONSCIENCE! OBEY ME! Just tell him already, jeez!_

My conscience has been getting rather annoying these past three months as well.

"Neh, Red?"

"Hn?"

"Do you remember anything about why and how you died today?"

He shook his head, his crimson eyes still staring at me.

In the past thee months, I should mention, he has become more like… Well, his old self. I knew a lot about him now.

He was kinda cold, didn't like to talk, got annoyed easily, and like to pick in fights. His real name was Hiei, Shai didn't tell me his last name. Oh, and Yukina actually was his sister.

I cannot tell you how glad that made me feel. Which scared me. Falling for a ghost is the last thing you want to do.

But you know, things happened, and I fell.

Hard.

"All right then… The people who know you still won't tell me anything…"

And as hard as I have fallen, I have refused to tell him everything I know about him…

Damn, I am a selfish bitch…

_Yes, you are…_

**XOXOXO**

Shai bit her lip, tears threatning to fall.

It was just pure, bad luck that made Hiei die on the same day that was Jo's birthday.

PURE BAD LUCK.

She, Shai, had never missed her bestest friends' in the whole wide world's birthday.

NEVER!

Ivy, although she died, still got a birthday part. She and Jo threw one. Just for the three of them. And Ivy would always come.

But now… She was missing Jo's birthday.

Why?

Because she was going to Hiei's anniversity funeral thing.

Why?

Because she, Shai, had fallen for a certain red haired guy.

And that red haired guy just so happened to be a certain dead boy's best friend.

She knew it was bad of her, selfish of her, but she liked Kurama a lot. Shai knew best friends were forever, opposed to the fact that boys were not, but she believed if she ever got together with Kurama, it would be forever.

Biting her bottom lip again, she smoothed out the black shirt she was wearing, and wiped away the tears. Looking into a small mirror, she nodded to herself. She didn't look like she was crying, good.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped out the bathroom door, setting the portable phone down on a nearby table.

"You should go." A small voice said.

Shai spun around, and nearly jumped in shock and fright. Yukina was behind her, dressed in a white kimono. Her hair wasn't up in a ponytail and was left down. Yukina had a… Sorrowful beauty to her.

"We all should go." Yukina said again, her crimson eyes boring into Shai's.

Shai's eyes widened, as she realized whom Yukina was talking about. Her eyes filled up with tears again, but she shook her head, and tried to sound convincing. "I don't know who you're talking about Yukina-chan!"

Yukina gazed at Shai, a bit of what seemd like scorn in her gaze. "Don't like Shai-san. You want to be there and celebrate her… 'Birthday'. But you also want to support Kurama-san."

Shai blushed, how did Yukina know…?

"It takes my brother's death to make me realize… Sometimes I depend on people too much. Sometimes… I do things that may harm people. It takes my brother's death, to make me realize, that people have been keeping me away from the 'real' world. And… You never know what you have, until they're gone."

Shai collapsed onto the floor, her face burried in her hands. Yukina sounded so wise, so grown-up now. She was no longer the innocent girl that she was before Hiei's death.

Before she knew it, Shai herself was crying, and Yukina was comforting her. Shai didn't even know why she was crying. The tears came by themselves.

It's surprsing how the once innocent Yukina grew up, and became as wise, maybe even wiser, than most of them in this temple.

Hiei would kill them if he ever got back.

**XOXOXO**

"What are you doing, onna?"

I looked up, and blushed. I was going through my photo albums. And they made me tear up.

"Oh nothing." I said, trying to hide the photo ablums.

But he came closer, and surprsingly, plopped himself right next to me.

"Who's she?" He asked, pointing to one of the pictures.

I blinked away tears.

He was pointing to my mother.

"That's my mother. She's dead, obviously." I said, trying to sound like it didn't matter.

Red, no, Hiei. I should start calling him that now. Anyway, he stared at me for a moment, before flipping the page, and pointing to another picture.

"And they are?"

I bit my lip.

"Ivy and my brother. They were… Well… In love you could say."

"That girl sometime comes and visits you when you are out…" He said softly, and I smiled. I was never around when Ivy came to visit anymore.

I blinked away more tears. I could feel him watching me.

"Why don't you allow yourself to cry onna?"

I was startled at his question, and jumped up, knocking the photo album away, accidently, wth my foot. "W-What are you talking about? I cry!"

He got up slowly, and walked in front of me, staring me down. "No you don't onna. You never cry. Not even when you want to."

Before I could say anything, he continued. "Nigens usually always cry. They cry when they get a scratch, or when their food burns or something." He paused, looking at me for an answer. I nodded, hesitantly. "But you don't onna. You never do."

I opened my mouth, and then closed it.

It was too hard to explain to someone who didn't even know my history. It was weird.

"It's alright for you to cry, isn't it onna?"

I looked up from the ground, tears threatning to spill. "N-No. It's not." I whispered, and threw my arms around him.

It was weird, me hugging a ghost. It wasn't my first time, but I don't know. This one was… different.

It was the first time anyone had told me it was okay to cry. Even if it was in question form. Shai never told me it was okay to cry. My dad and stepmom didn't even notice I never allowed myself to cry.

I giggle escaped my mouth, and I released my grip on Hiei, stepping back. "Thanks." I said, smiling.

It felt good to have a friend on your birthday.

**XOXOXO**

Koenma rubbed his forehead, obvoiusly stressed out. The demon in front of him had just been killed, by that unknown 'Mistress' girl again.

He was speaking nonesense. Saying things like, "Mistress" "going to kill him" "you're all going to die" "no one's going to live"

All of the victoms that came from 'the Mistress' said that. And he could never understand what they were saying.

Ah well.

After stamping the papers for the victom to go down, since his record wasn't auctually 'good', he leaned back in his chair.

He had bigger things to worry about. Like the fact Hiei had STILL not turned up.

Being Prince of the Underworld was a stressful job…

**XOXOXO ****

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**

**Suntiger-**  
I can tell you one thing. Those people in the last chapter are not Botan and Koenma. >>;;

**fangimation-**  
I made it longer this time! And I'll try to make longer chapters, I promise!

And cookies to everyone who reviewed!  
And more cookies to everyone who REVIEWS!

xD

_Previews:_

"Do what you nigens do, and how do you say… Kill her."

"You guys… I think it's time for us to tell Jo what we really are."

"DEMONS DON'T EXSIST!"

"Why didn't you tell me you already knew everything about me? My past, my sister, the others… You could've at least told me my own name, onna."

"S-She's DEAD?"

_End of Previews._

Hei Huo


	12. Truths and Consequences

Meh, I decided to try and update my other story, 'Surprise, Surprise' now.  
>w

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**Truths and Consequences**

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"Ah. So you called me. I knew you would. No one ever turns down me." 

"Shut up."

"Fiesty are we? Well, I can fix that. Why don't you just drop that nice ass of yours off at my house at… Let's say… Eight-ish? Then I'll fix you up real good."

Xyana rolled her eyes, a disgusted frown crossing her innocent looking features. This nigen was one of her minions. Of course he didn't know that. He was being manipulated by Clarice. Clarice was a good butler, a good playmate, and a good manipulator.

"Listen up. There's this girl. A picture of her is in the package I sent you, is that correct?" Xyana muttered, still disgusted with this minion.

She usually never called him. But he was her only LIVE nigen minion, and she needed him to dirty his hands now.

"Hai. What's up with her? She's alright looking. Is she a reward from you, my darlin'?"

Her frown deepened, and she stuck out her tounge in total disgust.

"Do what you want with her."

"You mean she's mine!"

"I meant…" Xyana took a deep breath, and griminced. It took a lot out of her to control Clarice, especially since his body was all the way in Nigenikai, while hers was still in Maikai. It didn't help that he had a natrually rebelious soul, either. "Do what you nigens do, and how do you say… Kill her."

"Can I have fun with her first?"

"Do what you want." Xyana said, sterner, getting weary of this nigen man, "Just make sure she's dead by the time you're done."

"This is going to be fun."

**XOXOXO**

"Goodbye! And come again! You know you're always welcome."

He closed the door, taking out a silk hankercheif, and wiping away at the sweat that had been forming on his forehead.

Ever since that little girl, Xyana, came, with that Clarice boy. He had gone from being an amuater murderer, to a rich, invincible, murder.

His eyes glinted with delight, as he grabbed the package from a servant's hand. "Get out of here now. Get! You're dismissed for the day." He muttered to the servant.

The servant was more than happy to obey. He grabbed his coat and rushed out the door before his employer could say 'come back!'

The man closed the door once more, and leaning against it for support, he opened the worn out envelope once more. Digging deep, he pulled out a photo, as if it were a diamond. "You, my dear," He crooned, "Is a big paycheck for me. Not to mention, you look like you'll be fun."

Above him, near the tippytop of the high roof, was the young water fairy. She fluttered back and forth on the ceiling, glad for the fact that the man was too stupid and obsessed with the picture to look up and notice her.

"Hiei-san." The young fairy muttered, holding her tiny hands tightly together, "I think you and that girl are in trouble…"

She looked down once more, her eyes focused on the picture.

A young girl, around 17. Black hair, blue eyes. And behind her, a person only youkai could see, was Hiei.

"Jo." The young fairy whispered to herself, "Jo."

**XOXOXO**

I yawned.

It was only eight o'clock at night, but it was dark outside, and since I was bored to death on my BIRTHDAY, no less, I was sleepy.

Oh yeah! I could always call my parents!

They had promised me the other day that they would be here for my birthday. Perhaps they were already at the airport!

I quickly jumped up to my feet, dialing in the numbers for my father's celluar.

It rang around 5 times, before that stupid operating voice said that he was out of service.

I frowned. And then dialed in the number with the France area code thing.

It rang about 3 times, before my father picked up.

"Dad? You're still in France?" I said, trying to sound normal, and not like this situation effected me.

"Hey hon. Sorry. Your mother and I got caught up in work. And then the planes got delayed. You understand, right?" He replied, sounding really stressed.

I bit my lip. My gawd, he always thought, since I was 17, I could take care of myself, and wouldn't need him anymore.

Well, you know what? He was wrong, I barely had a chance to be happy after I was 10. Sometimes I think he's selfish, but I know my father works hard to get a bunch of money to let me and my stepmom and himself survive in a high class manor.

"Yeah, don't worry Dad."

"M-hm… Study your french, 'kay? And I promise, I'll allow you to go anywhere you want, with anyone you want! Just call when you know where you want to go!"

"Yea… Au revoir, Dad." I said, taking a deep breath.

There was a click, and I sighed.

My dad had hung up without saying goodbye.

**XOXOXO**

Hiei stared at Jo, a bit of pity showing in his gaze.

She was just standing next to that… That… 'Telephone'. She was looking down on the ground, her hair covering her face. Not to mention, she hadn't moved from that position in 10 minutes.

He crossed his arms, and leaned against the wall. However, there was nothing he could do for the girl. In some ways, it was better for him to watch and pity her from afar, than bother her when she was moping.

And so he did.

He watched her from afar.

**XOXOXO**

The phone rang.

Ring.

Ring.

Ring.

Ring.

Ring.

Beeeeeeep.

'Hello, you have reached me, Jo! Currently, I'm not near the phone, DUH! Leave a message after the beep! Oh, and don't forget my birthday! It's tomorrow!'

I smirked. I had to change that answering machine answer to something more depressing.

"Hey. Jo? 'Tis Shai! I've got something to show you! And I promise you it's got nothing to do with mourning. So… Get your ass over here, girl! And be happy! Or else I will be calling you over and over again. 'Cause I know you're there!"

I perked up.

Something happy?

I crossed my arms, debating wether I should go.

It would brighten your mood. 'Cause damn, girl. Your mood ain't so bright, I have'ta say.

I smiled, and nodded.

I would go.

I spun around, and found Hiei behind me. "Neh, you stay here, 'kay? I'll be back in a bit."

I couldn't let him follow me, he would find out about that and everything else and… Probably kill me for not telling him.

I waited until he nodded, before I ran out the door, heading towards the temple.

_You selfish, selfish BITCH._

Beeeep.

'Hello, you have reached me, Jo! Currently, I'm not near the phone, DUH! Leave a message after the beep! Oh, and don't forget my birthday! It's tomorrow!'

"Hey, Jo? Hurry up and get here! We're all wai-"

**XOXOXO**

Shai stuck her tounge out at the phone, and slammed it down. "Stupid Jo still hasn't answered…" She said, crossing her arms and pouting in a very childish mannor.

Yukina smiled. "I'm sure she's just taking her time to get over here, Shai-chan. It's to annoy you."

"Of course she's doing that!" Shai exclaimed, "She always gets back at me when she has the chance!"

Knock.

"She's here!" Shai squealed, and rushed to the door, throwing it open.

XOXOXO

"Wait! I'm going to the bathroom!" I laughed, and swung the door shut.

I sat down on the edge of the bathtub, and sighed. It wasn't a depressed sigh. It was a happy one!

Yay! Finally, a happy sigh! Please note the sarcasm.

It was obvious the boys didn't really want to be there at first. But of course, Shai probably threatened them or something. She did that a lot.

But after a while, Yusuke and Kuwabara settled down a bit, and actually started to enjoy her very small party.

Especially since Shai spiked the drinks.

Suiichi… Well… He was depressed, yes, but he did his best to hide it.

Yukina was throughly enjoying herself.

And so was I.

"You lied…" A voice hissed.

My eyes widened, I knew that voice.

A hand slid onto my shouldar, and I winced, as his grip tightened.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

I gulped, and closed my eyes.

Why couldn't my birthdays ever be happy?

"Why didn't you tell me you already knew everything about me?" He said, I could feel his ghostly auroa darken with anger, "My past, my sisters, the others…"

I winced again, as he squeezed my shouldar, hard, and then released it. "You could've at least told me my own name, onna."

He let go of me, and I turned around.

"R-I mean, Hiei! I'm really sorry!" I cried, but he was gone by the time I looked behind me.

I took deep breaths, trying to calm myself down. But it wasn't working.

Shakily, I got up to my feet, and opened the door.

I don't know why, but it hurt so much.

Not physical hurt, or mental hurt, the fact that he…

Well…

It was a different kind of hurt.

**XOXOXO**

"You guys, I think it's time for us to tell Jo what we really are."

The three boys looked up, surprised at Shai's sudden remark.

"I mean, I tried telling her myself, millions of time. Ivy knew, her brother knew, only she didn't know… And then, you guys came into the picture! I'm not blaming you of course, I'm just saying... If I tell her what I am, you guys will be brough into the picture, and…" Shai's voice trailed off, and green eyes gazed at the floor.

Silence filled the room.

"I agree." Kurama said, breaking the silence.

The other two boys' heads whipped up.

They looked at each other for a split second. Kuwabara hesitantly nodded. Yusuke shrugged. "Hey, if you three are doing it, I can't back out, can I?" Yusuke said, his trademark grin slipping onto his face.

Shai looked up, her eyes bright with nervousness and happiness. "Arigatou you guys!" She squleaed, jumping up to her feet, "Now… All I need to do is find out a way to tell Jo…"

Yusuke pushed himself off the floor. "I'm goin' to get another drink." He called over his shouldar, holding up his empy glass just to prove his point.

A hand ran through his gelled black hair, before he slid open the door, and stepped out. He paused for a moment, and closed the door again.

A sigh escaped the boy's mouth. Who knows what Jo's reaction would be. It would be worse if she had heard their short, but important, conversation in there…

He looked up, and chocolate brown eyes widened.

Jo sat on the ground, her black hair covering her face. If this wasn't such an emotional moment, he would probably be teasing her about how she looked like that girl from 'The Ring.'

"D-Did you hear our conversation in there?" Yusuke hurridly asked, the plastic cup falling to the wooden floor.

She looked up, hurt in her eyes. "W-What? H-Hai…" She muttered, her voice sounding far off and distant.

His breath caught in his throat. "S-Shai would've told you sooner! Seriously! And me and the others would have told you as well!" He was panicking now, after losing Hiei, he seriously didn't have the heart to lose another friend, "C-Come on Jo, you understand, right?"

Her head snapped up, a bit of curiousity and confusion now edging into her blue eyes. But Yusuke didn't notice. He just kept blabbing on, like he did when Keiko was angry with him. "I mean, you can accept us for what we are, right? Shai told us you saw ghosts… Y-You can accept demons and half demons, and humans with spiritual powers, right!"

"WHAT?" Jo screamed, jumpimg up to her feet.

At once, Yusuke had a sinking feeling in his gut. Jo hadn't been depressed looking because of their conversation in there. She had been depressed about something else…

The black haired girl roughly pushed Yusuke to once side, and slid open the door, almost tearing through the paper.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS YUSUKE TALKING ABOUT?" She screamed again, her eyes locked with Shai's,.

Shai's eyes widened, her eyes darting from Jo to Yusuke, than back to Jo.

But as her surprise faded away, which it did pretty quckly, anger edged into her voice.

"Don't get so FUCKIN' mad Jo." Shai hissed, "I tried to tell you millions of times. You FUCKIN' never LISTENED."

"S-So it's true?" Jo gasped, her anger evaporating like water on the sun. She seemed stunned, and the color drained out of her face.

"Hai." Shai said confidently, "Everyone knew. Ivy, your brother. They knew I wasn't normal. And you know why I'm not normal, Joanne? Because I'm a demon. A wolf demon to be exact."

All eyes darted from the two best friends, Shai stood tall, she was set on telling Jo everything. Jo, on the other hand, had collapsed onto the floor, her face pale, too pale.

"A-And Yusuke is a demon as well. So is Kurama, or Suiichi, as you know him. Kuwabara's a human with spiritual powers. Yukina's a demon." Shai said, her voice faltering for one second.

Jo sprung up to her feet, and slapped away Kurama's hand, as he had come over to try and comfort her. "W-What about Hiei?" She croaked, her blue eyes darting around the room, as if searching everybody's face to make sure this was a joke.

"A demon."

Shai took this chance to transform. Her tall form was added another inch. Green eyes turned darker. Two black wolf ears appeared in a puff of smoke, her human ears disappearing. A black, long tail, with a white tip was stiffened up, waiting for Jo's response.

The room was silent, except for Jo's almost silent whimpers.

The door slid open, and Yukina stepped in with a tray full of tea. Of course, she automatically stopped, feeling the tension in this room.

"A-Ano… Did I miss something?" She asked softly.

Jo turned around, and her eyes grew fearful. She rushed towards the door, knocking Yukina out of the way. The tray flew into the air, and boiling hot tea splashed onto Yukina's arm. The ice koormine didn't even have a chance to cry out.

"DEMONS DON'T EXSIST!" Jo cried, standing at the end of the hall.

And with that, the girl was gone.

"Yukina-chan!" Kuwabara automatically cried, rushing to help the scalded girl.

But she shook her head, shakily getting up to her feet.

"Was that the best idea, Shai-san?" She asked slowly, crimson meeting green.

"Hai. It's best for her to know." Shai replied, tears filling up in her eyes, "Let's just hope it doesn't kill her…"

**XOXOXO**

I ran through the temple, jumped the stairs, stumbled, fell, scraped my knees, but still, I didn't stop running.

How could I have been so stupid? That's why Shai and Ivy and my brother would be discussing things in secret, and when I entered, they would stop, and look up at me, fake smiles on their face.

That's why Shai was so overly athletic. People always used to call her abnormal. That she took steroids or such.

Tears rose in my eyes, and I found myself in the bustling night life of the city.

Everyone knew. Everyone knew… The others were demons. Demons killed humans… Right?

_BZZT! That's not completely true! Come on! Listen to me for once! If you don't, something bad'll happen!_

But I shook my head. Something bad had to happen.

NOW.

What could I do, that nobody knew?

Something that no one expect immature, moody, Jo to do?

My eyes fell onto a bar slash club thing.

Drinking, dancing, going into one night things.

Perfect.

**XOXOXO**

_"S-She's gone insane!"_

**_"Hai."_**

_"B-But that means…"_

**_"Her end has come."_**

**XOXOXO**

A smirk played at my lips, as I was being dragged off by some dude in his late twenties.

It was sort of strange. He was the first one to approach me. He even convinced the guard dudes to let me go in. He bought me drinks, and even knew my name before I even told him.

And now, he was leading me off to a Motel 6 thing.

"Room for two please. The best you can give us." He purred to the elderly, bored-looking, clerk.

He rose an eyebrow at me. I looked young. I know. But without any words, he tossed us a key.

The boy took it, and walked over to the elevators.

He pushed the button to go up, and the elevator door slid open.

As we got in, and it closed, he was upon me already. His tounge slid into my mouth. And his hand traveled from my ass, to my neck, slowly, and seducingly.

It didn't feel right to me.

But hey? What did I know? I was a girl who could see ghosts, her best friends were demons, oh, and, she never had sex before. PLUS, while this dude was stealing my virgenity, he just stole my first kiss.

Before I knew it, again, I was on the bed, one hand handcuffed onto the steel headboard thing.

I lifted a head and looked around.

I thought Motel 6's weren't that bad…

The room was dark, and dirty. Stains covered the bare ground. The only thing in here, besides the bed, was a garbage can. Glass from beer bottles littered the floor. And the bed itself reeked of barf, sweat, and… Blood?

"I didn't know you would be so easy to seduce, my dear…" He muttered into my ear, lustfully, his hand traveling up my leg.

Panic struck me, as drunk as I was.

"You're a real big paycheck for me…" He muttered again, and he was upon me, once more, without any words.

And I knew at once, that this room was where I was going to die.

And it scared me to death.

**XOXOXO**

Shai blinked. The sun had risen. Jo hadn't come home last night…

She inhaled deeply. That could mean only one thing.

Trouble.

In seconds, she was up on her feet, her hands fumbling with the cellphone. Clumsily, she dailed the phone number she had memorised.

He wasn't picking up…

"Neh, Kurama-kun? Jo hasn't come home. Something's wrong. Something doesn't feel right… Call the others, help me look for her, please?" Shai begged, leaving a message.

Jo… How could you be so stupid…?

**XOXOXO**

Run. Run. Run.

_Don't you fuckin' stop.  
_

I'll fuckin' die if I stop.

My breath catches in my throat, my heart thumps loudly against my chest.

My eyes are closed.

I'm running blindly into the forest.

I wrap my arms around, and scratch at myself.

Dirty, dirty.

I feel so dirty.

Branches tore at my already ripped clothes. I shuddered in pain as new scratches were opened in my flesh.

Dirty, dirty. I'm so god damn dirty…

A flash of light reflecting off water.

I quickly ran into it.

I could hear his footsteps behind me.

I took a deep breath, and splashed in.

The cool water was refreshing against my hot skin.

"YOU BITCH!" He screamed, and a knife flew past me, leaving a deep scratch imprinted on my cheek.

Tears rose in my eyes, but even now, so close to death, I would not break my promises.

Instead, I ran deeper into the water.

Towards the middle of the lake.

My feet no longer touched the wet floor.

I floated for a bit, before starting to sink.

Dirty.

Dirty.

Why was I so dirty?

My breath was gone.

I was going to die. I was going to drown, here. Here, where I blindly ran. Somewhere I do not know.

S-Sorry, You guys…

**XOXOXO**

Shai grasped her cellphone to her chest, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Don't worry, Shai." He said soothingly, patting her on the back, "Jo'll turn up. She's too strong to die."

"I-I shouldn't have told her!" Shai sobbed, "I shouldn't have! Not on her birthday!"

Jo was missing.

It was the third day now.

And Shai was worried to death. She hadn't slept in those three days. Not to mention, had barely eaten.

Kurama sighed. It was going hard on Shai, really it was.

Shai suddenly tenses up, and she twitched.

"K-Kurama? C-Can you feel another ki in this room?" She whispered in a urgent voice, her eyes gazing upwards, and then back to him.

He concentrated for a moment. Then nodded, slightly. His hand slipped into his pocket, and a seed appeared in the palm of his hand.

With no hesitatino, he threw the seed up. A horrible splitting sound ensured, and then a tiny squeak of fear.

A second later, the seed, no, the plant fell down. A small blue fairy trapped in its clutches.

"P-Please. I mean no harm!" She squeaked, her body struggling to escape.

Shai observed the small creature and then tuged on Kurama's sleeve gently. No need to be afraid of a fairy. They always kept their word.

The plant lifted its grip on the tiny creature, and she sat up, breathing heavily.

"P-Please. I only come here to bring news about that nigen… Jo…" She squeaked, her voice like the sound of a bell.

Green eyes widened, and quickly, Shai scooped up the fairy.

"W-Where? Where is she?" She whispered urgently, not noticing that she had transformed into her wolf demon form.

The fairy stared at Shai with wide eyes, before squeaking out once more, "M-Maikai. S-She was captured by y-youkai…"

"So.. In other words… S-She's DEAD?" Shai sobbed, her hands clutched to her chest.

The fairy was startled at Shai's sudden retreating of her hands, but she quickly regained her balance, and floated in the air. "Iie." The fairy whispered, "You still have time to save her…"

After cleaning up the reamins of his 'one-time-use' plant, he turned towards the small water fairy.

"Where? Which part of Maikai?" He asked, his cellphone out and ready to call Yusuke and Kuwabara.

"You must follow me."

**XOXOXO

* * *

**

Crazyloony598:  
A weird soap opera?  
Thanks.  
xD

**Suntiger:**  
Thanks for your spelling error corrections.  
;-;  
This computor doesn't seem to have that spell check thing... >>

**Youko-Naome:**  
Well, Jo's technically not a meditator. But I'm guessing you read 'The Meditator' Books, neh?

**Makuryami Ookami:**  
o.o  
You reviewed like, all of the chapters.  
-huggles-  
Thank you!  
xD

**insanenigen14:**  
She is rather sadistic isn't she?  
>w 

**fangimation:**  
Spoiled? Really?  
I wasn't really aiming for her to be spoiled, but hey, it fits the story.  
XD

**THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED!  
;3  
You people have Hei's love.**

_Previews  
_  
"I-I'm alive?"

"You sense somethin' wron' Touya?"

"I'm being chased by demons! Are you FUCKIN' KIDDING me?"

_End of Previews_

Hei Huo


	13. Shouldn't

Yesh, I know this is a bit late. I... Kind'of forgot about updating. D;  
Yush, I admit it. >>;;

Anyway, here it is. Hope you enjoy! It's my longest chapter yet.

I belive... C;

* * *

**Should've**

* * *

Hm…?

I slowly pushed myself off the hard ground, wincing slightly as pain shot up from various scratches and bruises across my body.

What… Happened?

I-I'm alive?

W-Wait… Why should I be surprised if I'm alive…?

_Baka…_

Hm…?

Is it just me… Or am I in a cave?

A cold breeze blew through the large, and empty looking cave. I shivered. W-What? I shouldn't be cold. I'm wearing…

My eyes widened, and a gasp escaped my mouth. What the HELL happened to my clothes? T-They had rips all over them! Not to mention, my blood.

Grr… Whoever did this is going to pay. These clothes cost a lot!

I dragged myself over to the cave wall, 'cause my legs weren't respondin right now. Which sucked ass. Grabbing onto the wall, I pulled myself up, and held my breath. Why, oh why, do my legs HURT so FUCKIN' much?

Taking a deep breath, I proceeded to walk through the cave. I could spot a small orange-ish light, as if it were a fire or something, so I decided, that's the direction where I'm going to.

_Iie. Don't…_

I rolled my eyes. When did my conscience start talkin' in JAPANESE?

_D-Don't go!_

I rolled my eyes again. I'm not going anywhere.

When my conscience didn't answer anymore. I kept on going.

Finally, I caught sight of a fire.

Creeping closer, I caught sight of a dude. Lying with his back turned to me.

"H-Hey. Um… Do you know where we are?" I asked, stopping in my tracks.

Another cold breeze hit my exposed skin. I shivered. He still hadn't answered.

"Hey? You alright?" I asked again, bending down besides him, and placing my hand on his shouldar.

He seemed to totter for a moment, before falling on his back.

I screamed.

I mean, I had the right to.

His eyes were wide open, bloodshot, his eyelids ripped away. His mouth was open in a silent scream, but his tounge had been, what seemed like, chewed off. He… He had no nose, it had also been chewed off, as well as his ears as well.

But what scared me was his chest.

It was… Nothing. A couple of ribs were still connected to his backbone, but other than that, there was nothing.

A huge, gaping, red, hole. Skin torn away. No hearts, no veins, no organs, no nothing.

My hand shot up to my mouth, and I gasped for breath. My body wasn't listening to me. It had been frozen in fear.

And the next thing I knew, I had barfed on him… No, **in** him. In that large hole of a chest.

W-Why did he look so familiar?

_"I didn't know you would be so easy to seduce, my dear…"_

My eyes widened.

A…A male voice. T-Talking to me…

_"You're a real big paycheck for me…"_

H-His hands tore open my shirt, and he forced himself upon me.

Everything came back to me. Shai, the birthday party, Hiei, him…

"NO!" I screamed, and ran away from his body.

Only to be stopped, as I bumped into somebody else.

"W-What?"

I looked up, a horrible stench filling my nose.

"Why, you've woken up, haven't you nigen?" The demon grinned, showing bloodstained, fangs.

I took a step back, but another demon picked me up by my waist.

"Urgh. She's vomitted. We'll have to wait a bit before she gets clean and tasty again." The one who had picked me up swore, and spat on the ground.

My breath caught in my throat.

"You think we could have some fun with her before we eat her?" Another demon said.

W-Was it just me, or were there like, ten… DEMONS around me now?

"Hai. There's more than enough to go around…"

N-No…

I didn't want to go through it again.

E-Especially with demons.

A scream rose in my throat, and I thrashed violently, trying to escape the horrible grasp.

"SHAI!" I screamed, "IVY! H-HELP!"

The demons merely laughed, and one of them put a bloodstained hand to my cheek.

"You're in Maikai now, nigen. No one's goin' to help you."

**XOXOXO**

"You sense somethin' wron' Touya?"

He lifted his head up into the air, frowning at the sudden feeling of disaster.

Icy blue eyes narrowed.

"Hai. Something is definetely wrong, Jin."

**XOXOXO**

Shai gasped for breath, her pace slowing down considerbly. She had been running for a whole day. Through Maikai.

Not to mention, getting rid of any lower class youkai who stood in her way.

Kurama slowed down as well, and stopped next to Shai. "Tired…?" He asked, but of course, by just glancing at her, he already knew the answer.

"N-No… DUH…" Shai gasped, collapsing onto the floor.

Maybe NOT eating the three days before this was a BAD idea.

Kuwabara and Yusuke had gone off into another part of Maikai. The fairy had disappeared, saying she needed to check where Jo was.

The red head slung Shai's arm over his shouldar, and picked her up, bridal style. "Jo'll be alright, Shai. You know she's too strong to die…" He whispered, walking slowly, since he couldn't exactly run with the extra weight.

Shai sighed, burrying her head into Kurama's chest. "You know you're lying to yourself…" She whimpered, "And me. This is Maikai. Youkai eat nigens out here. And Jo, is most definetely a nigen."

Kurama was silent, but kept walking forward. "But she is strong, no?"

Before Shai could reply, a blinding blue light popped up in front of them.

"J-Jo!" The fairy gasped, fluttering around them, obviously distressed.

Shai jerked up in Kurama's arms, "Where!"

"B-Being chased by youkai. H-Hurry!" The fairy squealed, "T-To the North!"

Kurama gently let Shai down, and before he could say anything, the wolf demon had already begun to run. A small smile slid onto his face. Always so hasty, Shai…

**XOXOXO**

"STOP FOLLOWING ME!" I screamed, trying to urge myself to run faster.

But I was never the athletic one. I could barely run the mile without stopping ten times, at least.

I don't know how I got away. It had something to do with Hiei, I'm sure. 'Cause I saw him. Before I started to run. A katana in his hands.

But you know, I'm panicking. I could have been hallucenating, for all I know.

A hand grabbed my foot, and I winced in pain, as sharp nails dug into my skin. I squealed, as I fell to the ground. My eyes quickly scanned the ground around me, and I grabbed a sharp stick. "S-STOP IT!" I screamed, and jabbed the stick into the hand.

Dark green blood splashed onto my ankle, and I tried not to look at it much. "Y-YOU BITCH!" The demon yelled, letting go of me.

I took this as a chance to start running again. Sharp stabs of pain were coming from my side, and I could hear my heart, just beating in my ears. Loudly.

The next thing I knew, I was in a forest. Plants were snapping at my feet, and shrieks of demons or something were echoing around. Heavy footsteps were behind me.

My eyes darted around, wildly. I couldn't keep going. I know I couldn't. My heart beat louder in my ears, until that was all I could hear.

Thump.

I'm going to die.

Thump.

I-I don't want to die though…

Thump.

How's Daddy goin' to take it?

Thump.

Oh my god. I'm pinned to a tree by that demon I stabbed earlier.

Thump.

H-He's telling me he's going to kill me. Right here, right now.

Thump.

A sharp stick swings from his fists. The same stick I used to stab him with.

Thump.

He's slowly bringing it up to my stomach.

Thump.

P-Please… No…

Thump.

**XOXOXO**

Hiei swore, crimson eyes widened in anger, or what was it…?

That baka onna had gotten herself stabbed. And by the looks of it, she wasn't going to survive.

The stick that she had been stabbed with, entered her body through her stomach. The youkai had thrust it in a diagonal direction, and it had exited around her mid-back. Her body was pinned to a tree, blood slowly leaking down its bark.

He swore. He couldn't do anything, if that baka onna wasn't touching the demon! But no, she was struggling, feebly trying to pull the stick out.

Blue eyes were rapidly glazing over with pain, and the sign of death. Her breath was coming out in short, rapid gasps.

She blinked, once, twice. And looked up, tears rising in her eyes.

But even near death, she would not let those tears fall.

"H-Hiei…" She gasped, blood leaking out of her mouth, as she talked.

She could see him.

"The Forbiddon Child? Here? HA! You are a clever nigen, aren't you?" The youkai hissed, bringing his disgusting face closer to hers.

"S-Sorry…" She said again, more blood dribbling over her chin.

Slowly, she forced her hands up, and grabbed the youkai's wrist weakly. The youkai laughed. "Begging now? It is too late for that nigen."

Hiei knew this was his chance. Bringing out his katana, he brought it down upon the youkai's head. He kept going, until the youkai was completely split in half.

Breathing heavily, he collapsed onto one knee. Pft. In his ghost form, it took a lot out of him just to kill a E class youkai? Pathetic…

Looking up, he frowned Green-ish blood had splattered over Jo. But what bothered him was her soul was not yet coming out of her body. Of course, he was slightly glad, he would never admit it though, that she hadn't died yet. But still, with that kind of wound, on a nigen no less, her soul should've been at least half way out.

And yet, it was not.

"Is it just me, Touya, or did that loo' like Hiei's handwor'?"

Hiei looked back, surprised to see the wind master, along with Touya, the ice master behind him. It was obvious Jin had been about to attack, for the wind was just slowing down behind him.

"Don't be a baka." Touya snorted, "He's dead."

"You neve' k'ow, Touya!"

**XOXOXO**

Green eyes filled up with tears. Shaky hands, pale from the lack of food and rest, palced themselves upon the other girl's hands.

"Jo… Y-You…" Shai's voice faltered, and she buried her face into her hands, "H-How could you be so STUPID!"

Her last living best friend. This close to death.

She had always know nigens would die before she died. But not this soon.

"Come on, Jo…" Shai begged, tears spilling out of those green eyes of hers, "D-Don't leave, neh? I-Ivy and your bro will understand if you don't go to them yet…"

Of course, Shai knew her best friend wouldn't answer her, but she just kept talking randomly, as if nothing was wrong. And all Jo was doing, was going on a little trip.

"C-Come on, Jo! D-Don't be m-mean!" Shai laughed, tears rolling down her cheeks, "Y-You know you hate to see me cry!"

A hand was placed on the wolf demon's shouldar, but she did nothing. She already knew who it was. And frankly, right now, she wanted to be alone.

"Shai…" His gentle voice whispered to her, but the wolf demon merely shrugged his hand off.

"Leave me be, Kurama. I don't need no pity right now." She said, her voice ice cold. All traces of crying had left her voice, although salty liquid still ran down her face.

Kurama placed his hand back on her shouldar, and spoke up again. "Shai… I know you're upset, but-"

"BUT WHAT? YOU NEVER IN YOUR DAMN LIFE, LOST A BEST FRIEND! NEVER THE LESS, TWO!" Shai screamed, jumping up to her feet, and slapping away his hand. Green eyes blazed with fury, as she stepped in front of her dying friend's body, as if portecting it from something.

Crimson eyes frowned with displeasure. That wolf girl… Yelling at the kitsune like that. She never really did have that right, but of course, that wolf girl was insane as she was.

Hiei let out a sigh, and his eyes wandered to Jo. Well, he had nothing to lose, and this would be a good chance to try out what he had been working on, before he died of course.

Walking over to her pale, limp body, he took a deep breath, crimson eyes narrowing. He had never really taken over anybody's body before, so, this was a first time for that as well.

Kurama looked as if he had been severely hurt. He had lost a best friend before. And Shai knew about it. She had no right. Saying those words.

"KURAMA!"

Red locks turned in the wind, as he turned his head to see what Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Jin were screaming about. Three pairs of fingers were pointing at where Jo's body lay. Even Touya looked remotly surprised.

A small gasp from Shai, 'caused him to turn around once more.

Jo had sat up, her face showing no pain, though her body trembled from exhaustion. Placing her hands over her wound, she bent her head down, as if everything was normal. A familiar ki rose from her finger tips.

This time, a gasp came from Kurama. "H-Hiei?" The kitsune gasped, taking a shaky step forward.

The wound slowly closed up. From both sides.

Jo, no, Hiei, lifted her head, a smirk playing on his face. "You three have really let yourselves go." He sneered, scorn in his voice.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY SHRIMP!" Kuwabara yelled, jumping up to his feet.

Rolling 'his' eyes, the smirk never left his face. "You have no chance beating me, even in this body."

That cocky grin of Yusuke's was on his face. They all had missed Hiei oh so much, although none of them really admited it.

"I tol' you Touya!" Jin cried, poking his partner and best friend in the shouldar, "I told you Hiei was ther'!"

Touya glared daggers at Jin, and slapped his finger away.

Shai's eyes were wide open, as if not believing anything she saw. Rubbing them, she slowly sat up. "D-Does this mean… J-Jo's alright?" She said slowly, tears rising in her eyes once more.

Hiei turned to Shai, and nodded. "She'll be fine. Weak yes, but fine."

"YOU KNOW JO!" Yusuke yelled, jumping up to his feet.

The fire koormine winced, and gasped for breath. "Hn. T-The onna will explain it to you. I can't control her body any longer."

**XOXOXO**

_Hands cluthced my stomach._

_An ugly leering face._

_The stink of blood on his breath._

_The hands clutched deeper into my stomach, until as I looked down, nothing was there._

_Just a giant, empty hole._

**XOXOXO**

I woke up sweating.

Closing my eyes, I tried to remember where I was, and how I got here.

Urgh.

I remember now.

Stupid, stupid conscience.

Never there when I need its advice.

Only there when I don't need its advice, and it becomes increasingly annnoying.

Standing up, a sharp pain from my stomach and mid back made me sit back down.

Oh yeah… I was stabbed.

Sticking out my tounge in disgust, I lifted up my shirt.

Oh wow. No visible wound, apparently.

Putting it back down, I stuck my tounge out once more.

I was so very, confused.

Sliding open the door to the room, I timidly stuck my head out into the hallway.

Great.

No one around.

I had the faint memory of yelling at them, and then splashing boiling hot tea over Yukina. I winced at the thought. I had to apologize to her later.

Although, I was still pretty freaked about them being demons. I mean, demons ate people. What if this was all a trick, and Shai had just been pretending to be my friend, and then was going to eat me soon!

_Are you stupid? If Shai wanted to eat you, she could've and would've done it long before._

Oh yeah… Good point. At last, one point scored for my conscience.

"J-Jo-chan?"

I spun around, and nervously smiled at the small sea green haired girl.

"H-Hey Yukina…" I said, still pretty nervous.

Walking over to me, she placed a hand over a bandaged place on my arm, which I hadn't noticed before.

"My nii-san saved your life you know." She said, smiling at me.

H-Huh?

Hiei?

Really?

I had the sudden feeling of joy, 'cause I just found out, Hiei didn't hate me!

Yay!

"Y-You mind telling me… Everything?" I stammered, wanting to know.

Yukina smiled, and I had another sudden feeling, that Yukina wasn't all what she seemed. As in, although she looked innocent, she sure wasn't. In a good way.

"H-Hai. If you tell me everything you know about my nii-san." She replied, her eyes lighting up with hope.

"How could I resist a face like that!" I said, and stuck my tounge out jokingly, "You've got yourself a deal."

**XOXOXO****

* * *

**Hei Huo


	14. Face to Face

Eh, Hei has no excuses this time. She merely, truly forgot.  
D;

* * *

**Face to Face**

* * *

"H-He failed?" She fumed quietly, clutching her white dress.

Clarice nodded, his hands behind his back. The Mistress was angry. This wouldn't bode well for that Forbiddon Child and his friends.

Fuming, Xyana stood up from her stone throne, and threw her fist against it.

The throne literally seemed to blow up. Chunks of the stone flew up into the air. A violet sheild protected her from getting crushed. "How could he fail? He had everthing. I had given him everything he needed…" She muttered angirly, white eyes turning red, "EVERYTHING!"

"He wanted to play around first." Clarice said, stepping out of the way, as a huge stone hit the floor besides him, "And in those few moments, it seemed 'Hiei' had freed the girl."

Red eyes turned redder, as Xyana could not find any words to say. Taking a deep breath, she threw her head back and screamed loudly. In return, groans, growls, and howls of delight answered her, coming from below the ground.

"THAT… THAT… FUCKER!" She swore, punching the ground, and jumping up. A huge hole appeared, and pain-filled screams echoed from beneath as the stone floor collapsed.

Walking to the edge of the hole, Xyana looked down. Down below at her demon collection. So much demons. She usually threw people where faintly annoyed her down there, just because she was bored. Growling, she put her hands together, and summoned up her spirit energy. Letting out a battle cry, a violet beam shot out from the palms of her hand and immediately fried all those below her.

Breathing heavily, she started to laugh uncontrollably. Demons below her were making their last sounds, as they died. Burned to death. Holding her stomach, tears coming to her eyes, she still kept laughing.

Clarice lifted an eyebrow. Perhaps the Mistress had gone insane at last?

"CLARICE!"

Perhaps not.

"Come. We're going to pay Hiei and that bitch a little visist. Perhaps they will finally know whom they're dealing with now."

Flicking her mane of golden hair back, red eyes turned to a pale rose, as a morbid smile appeared on Xyana's face.

"I'm coming."

**XOXOXO**

"BOTAN! BOTAN!"

Blue hair had long tumbled out of her ponytail, and was coated in pesperation. Beads of sweat rolled down her face, as she flew back and forth, surveying the hundreds, maybe even thousands of demons crowding into Reikai.

It was a DAMN wonder that there were still youkai in Maikai.

"ALL RIGHT KOENMA-SAMA!" She yelled, obviously stressed out, "Fiola! You're next!"

Stepping up, was a girl. She was not beautiful. It was safe to say that. Her black hair seemed to have never been washed, and looked to be hacked at with a dull blade. Scars criss-crossed over her face, and on her neck.

Ushering the girl into Koenma's office, Botan took a deep breath. So much youkai. All at once. Their deaths, all unexpected. It was just… Too much.

"Could you please tell me what happened?" Koenma asked, a begging tone in his voice. He stood in front of his desk, in his teenage form.

The girl looked up, her green eyes glinting with fear.

"A… Child." She mumbled, wrapping her arms around her self.

Koenma and Botan listened itently. Maybe this was a break through.

"X…Xyona…"

Tears rose up and slid down the girl's cheek. She was shaking in fear, and her arms were turning green.

"Wants to torture… The Forbiddon Child… S-She thinks he's… F-Fun…"

For a second, no one realized what was happening. By this time, Fiola had gone completely green, and now… She burst on fire. Screaming, her pupils rolled back into her head, showing all whites of her eyes.

"SHE'LL KILL US!"

And then, all was silent.

Botan had pressed her back against the wall, purple-ish pink eyes wide with fear.

"Xyona… I've heard of her…" Koenma mumbled, trying to break the silence, "A powerful maiden. Almost as old as time… But to be able to cast something like that…"

"L-Like what, Koenma-sama?" Botan breathed, shivering as she stared down at the pile of ashes that was once a youkai.

"She cast a spell. No one that was once under her comand can say her name, or what her intentions are. If they do, their soul, their body, everything about them will be doomed to somewhere worse than hell, for eternity…" Koenma mumbled, his eyes glazing over, "We've had this case before… But… This was the first time for us to figure out that she was entwined in these deaths…"

Worse than hell?

Botan shivered.

She had once seen the horrors of hell. And sometimes, it would still haunt her. But for something to be worse than that…

She couldn't, and didn't want to even begin to imagine.

"And for Xyona's intention with Hiei…"

Koenma shook his head, gravly. "We should warn them… Especially that 'Jo' girl."

He had heard from the daily reporting back from Botan, that Jo was the only one that could see Hiei, for some reason. Of course, he, Koenma, knew the reason, but he was forbiddon to speak it to anyone.

"I'll go right now, Koenma-sama!" Botan said, materalizing her oar.

Wincing, as more youkai behind his doors growled and howled, Koenma nodded. "Hurry back…" He said hopefully, but didn't want to sound desperate.

Hesitating, the head ferry girl de-materalized her oar. And gave Koenma a smile.

"Iie. I'll help you out first." She stated, and walked out the doors.

A smile lit up Koenma's face.

Perhaps this was the reason why he loved her so.

**XOXOXO**

Bang.

"Coming!" I screamed, couldn't these people wait?

I had just finished talking to Yukina, explaining everything, when I heard banging from the main temple door. Of course, at the exact same moment, the phone just had to go ring, so Yukina went after it.

I personally didn't think Genkai had a phone.

She was so old-fashioned. Ha!

Anyway, as I tramped down the stairs, two by two, I shivered. A dark foreboding feeling swept over my skin, and as I looked down upon my arm, I saw goosebumps.

Okay, officialy freaked out.

As I reached the door, and started to slide it open, I felt as if an icy dagger had been stabbed into my heart. If I was facing a mirror, I bet my lips were blue. I was that cold.

I found myself facing a boy. Dark purple hair. Golden eyes. Very freaky. Maybe he was part of a circus…? Besides him was a girl. She looked to be around twelve, but judging by the way she dressed, she thought she was older.

Golden hair was put up in a tight bun, a couple strands of hair framing her face. Her eyes were hidden behind a large pair of sunglasses, while she wore an all black ensamble.

Very strange.

Probably were selling something.

"May I… Help you?" I asked hesitantly, not really wanting to smile.

A deathly sweet smile appeared on her face. I felt as if that icy dagger plunged deeper into my heart once more. "Jo-kun… Neh?" She purred, sounding like she was trying to… Seduce me?

"H-Hai." I replied, wincing as my voice cracked. This girl really, really freaked me out.

I felt a golden eyed stare piercing through my invisible defensives. If I didn't know better, I would've thought he was a pervurt and was trying to see through my clothes. Just to make sure, I crossed my arms, and nervously stepped behind the door.

"Clarice here-" The girl began, pointing at the boy, wasn't Clarice a french girl's name…? Anyway, "Tells me Hiei's been… With you."

My eyes widened. How did she know…?

Oh crap.

I knew trouble when I saw it.

And these two, oh my gawd, they were trouble

"Oh em… H-Hiei? I don't know any Hiei. Wrong number! Er, house! Er… Temple!" I stuttered, and quickly slid the door shut.

Oh jeez. A sliding door made of thing paper and wood wasn't going to keep anyone out. After randomly propping a table against the door, and faintly wondering why they weren't coming after me, I ran up the stairs.

"YUKINA!" I screamed, and quickly found the ice maiden talking on the phone. My scream startled her, obviously, as she dropped the phone onto the ground, startled crimson eyes meeting mine.

"J-Jo-chan?" She gasped, I think she thought that I was crazy.

Eyeing the phone on the floor, and wondering if I should call the police, I shook my head. They'd put me in a mental instutitute. And I don't think my father could bail me out this time. "No time to explain Yukina! Is there a back door… Or.. .Er… Window we could jump out of and not die?" I said, wincing as I heard an explosion come from downstairs.

"W-What was that?" She said in a hushed tone.

Ignoring her question, I grabbed her hand and hurried to the door. Sliding it open, I spotted a window.

Escape route. Right there.

Kicking a chair out of the way, I was about to reach it before the floor beneath me just seemed to grow a hole in it. Without even time for me to scream, I fell down, onto a bunch of pillows. Breathing a sigh of relief, I gazed upwards. Oh crap.

Well, at least they didn't get Yukina as well.

"Oh look-ie here! Hiei's poor wittle sister!" Came that annoying girly voice.

Oh crap.

There goes my last lifeline.

Flinging Yukna besides me, I rushed over to her. She got up to a sitting position, rubbing herneck, which already held five finger shaped bruises.

"Erm… W-What do you want!" I said, trying to sound like I didn't give a damn what they were going to do to me. Stuttering didn't help my acting.

The girl laughed, sending shivers up my spine. "I don't understand why Hiei would hide with you. You, a lowly nigen. You, a pebble in the great deserts of the world. I just don't… Understand." Her last words were spat out, and venom filled.

So this girl obviously had a thing for Hiei.

It didn't necessarly mean he had a thing for her, right!

"I told you." I said, emphasizing 'told', "I don't know this Hiei of which you talk about!"

The girl seemed to bristle with anger, and the next thing I knew, she was holding me up by the neck. Choking me in other words. "Don't lie to me… You bitch." She snarled, angrily, slamming me against the temple walls, "I know what I see. The bowl does not lie."

The bowl does not lie?

Man, if this weren't a life or death situation, I would be laughing my head off. 'Cause seriously, that was the saddest line I had ever heard.

Struggling against her holier-than-thou grip, I started to feel dizzy. Oh come now. She wasn't going to kill me yet, was she?

"JO!"

Shai to the rescue!

I felt something thump against the attacker's back, and her hand atomatically released my throat. Falling to the floor, and coughing, I looked up. Claws had inserted themselves in from Shai's finger nails, through the girl's stomach.

Squeaking in surprise, I pushed myself up to my feet, and moved away.

"So you're the infamous Xyona… Neh?" Shai smirked, black wolf ears twitching in annoyance.

Turning her head 180 degrees around, like an owl, which freaked me out, she laughed in Shai's face. "Don't think you can get rid of me so easily, wolf girl."

Melting into a puddle, the girl seemed to disappear and reappear behind Shai. Chanting inaudible words underneath her breath, she winked at Shai, before thrusting her tiny hands at Shai's stomach.

Nimbly avoiding the blow, Shai's eyes widened. Was there something wrong…?

As the girl struck once more, and Shai dodged it, I could sense something was going to go wrong.

The girl seemed to split in half, and then that half split into another half, until there were six little girls, surrounding Shai.

And each of them, were facing her, with a creepy smile on their faces.

Green eyes widened. Obviously, Shai could see a power, that I could not.

And then I felt it. A sweltering heat. Emitting from the small girls' hands.

A power.

That I could not see.

A power.

That was too strong for the human eyes.

A power.

That would kill Shai.

**XOXOXO

* * *

**w00t! Shai died!  
-dances-

Eh... I mean... Eh... Awww... -cries-

**Yuki Amida-** 'Sank You! **fanfic-** Mm, glad you liked the ending. That was the first scene which made this story alive in the first place. ;D Okay, one of the first.**insanenigen-** I actually wanted her to be killed, but then I was all like, "If she dies, there's no point in continuing the story!" So she's alive! For now. >w **Wolf-black-flame-** It's not a good thing, but it spikes up people's intrests. And plus, it's fun writing about death. It's so... Drama-y. **Suntiger-** I don't mind! The computors in my house don't allow pop-ups, no matter how hard I try, so I'm sorry I haven't reviewed your story yet. ;-;

**_Previews-_**

"Another one bites the dust. Leaving me alone. With unshed tears."

"I can give Hiei his body, and life back, on a few... Conditions."

"Sorry Jo... Really I am. C-Could you give them the tapes...?"

"MOUTH TO MOUTH!"

**_End of Previews. Whoo!_**

**Hei Huo**


	15. Before the Battle

Eep, extremely sorry. Got caught up in the whole drama of going back to China and coming back. Then went through a phase where the computor was icky oo, and finally the phase now where I have a shorter temper than usual. TwT

And towards the story.

* * *

**Before the Battle**

* * *

The heat got worse and worse.

I could actually feel an un-seen fire scorching the skin on my arms.

Which meant it was getting closer.

Panicking, I did the first thing that registered in my mind.

Shai always saved me.

So this time, I would save her.

Jumping on Shai's back, forcing her down, I landed in front of her. I found myself facing the creepy little girl. Gulping, I felt a wave of heat as she moved closer to me.

The creepy smile was still on her face, and her hands were held behind her back. The air around us seemed to just disappear, leaving me gasping for breath.

"Your loss." She smiled freakishly, bringing her hands from behind her back and shoving the heat thing in my face. To be exact, in my eyes.

I was stunned for a moment, seeing nothing but white.

A blinding white light.

The kind you're supposed to see when you're about to die.

**XOXOXO**

They say when you're about to die, your life flashes before your very eyes.

But mine didn't.

All I saw, no- Heard, was a bunch of voices.

_"Tears don't fit you my dear."_

That was my mom.

_"Don't be like me. Never cry. It just makes you lose faith in humanity."_

Ivy.

_"I hate seeing you cry."_

My big brother.

_"You have to be a big girl now. And big girls don't cry."_

I mentally winced.

My dad.

_"Hey Jo? If I die, remember not to cry."_

Shai…

They all told me not to cry. Not to cry for them.

_"It's alright for you to cry, isn't it onna?"_

But then he came along.

And told me it was okay to cry.

I felt as if my head was about to split in half. Half of physical pain and half of mental confusion.

Oh god, help me.

**XOXOXO**

Shai leapt up to her feet, rushing over to her fallen friend.

Jo was screaming.

Screaming.

Screaming.

And it was no wonder. She had just been hit in the eyes by that stupid lil' bitches attack!

"What the hell did you do to her!" Shai screamed at Xyona, grasping Jo's hand within hers.

Xyona merely gazed up at Shai with fake innocence. "She put herself in front of me. The attack was meant for you." She said sweetly, an edge of amusement creeping up in her high little voice.

Shai gritted her teeth together, knowing it was true.

"She's lucky." Xyona's voice suddenly hardened, "My attack could've killed you. But for nigens, my attack will merely cause them pain."

Trying to ignore Jo's frantic screams, Shai spoke through gritted teeth. "So in other words you're attack is not perfect." She growled, pulling her hand away from Jo's and standing up.

"No. I guess it's not." Xyona replied back, a grin crept onto her face and grew wider as each second passed, "Clarice? Perhaps you should entertain the others…"

**XOXOXO**

I continued to scream. I don't know, I couldn't stop myself. My voice wouldn't obey me, and I still couldn't see anything but white-ness.

A lump rose in my throat, but I pushed it down. I would not cry. Would not throw away six tear-less years of hard work, just to cry now.

"Onna!"

I stopped screaming for a split second.

Hiei?

"Hiei?" I repeated out loud, my voice all high and panicky, "I can't see! I-I can't!"

I felt his hands over my eyes, which surprised me so much, I stopped screaming again.

That didn't necessarily take away the pain though.

A frustrated 'hn' came from him. "I can't help you on this one onna…" He muttered, almost as if he were sorry.

But no, I probably was just dreaming that up. A whimper escaped my mouth, even though I didn't mean to let it out.

Suddenly, I felt his presence disappear, and I collapsed face-down onto the wooden floor.

I felt somebody else standing in front of me.

Someone with really long hair.

"Hiya, Jo- kun…" That little girl purred, stroking my cheek with abnormally long fingernails.

My voice caught in my throat this time. I lay there, paralyzed with fear.

"Your friend wasn't much of a fighter…" She said, laughing. I felt anger bubble in my chest, "And the others? Well, Clarice is taking care of them."

Suddenly, I understood her words. S-She killed Shai? And she was going to kill the rest of them? I gulped.

"So, it's just you and me." She whispered in my ear, her hot breath tickling my neck.

Grasping a handful of my hair, she picked me up, ignoring my whimpers. "Hiei obviously sees something in that hideous body of yours…" She hissed, sounding very pissed, "And to have some fun, I'll tell you this. I can give Hiei his body, and life back, on a few… Conditions."

**XOXOXO**

Dull blue eyes stared as the coffin slowly was pushed upon the stone table.

Yukina saw those eyes, and felt a new wave of tears hit her. Sniffling, she tried to stop them.

Shai had died in the attack last week.

Everyone else had mild wounds. Apparently, that little girl, Xyona, just wanted to make her point.

Jo had been temporarily blind for three days.

When she saw Shai's body, she wouldn't stop screaming.

Large crimson eyes filled with more tears. It was hard. Witnessing your brother's funeral, and then a close friend's funeral.

Two deaths in a year.

Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to gaze at Shai's cremation.

Kurama had mentioned it first. Said that Shai always was the free spirit kind of girl, so why not let her ashes fly freely in the wind instead of placing her in the cold ground?

They all agreed.

Except Jo.

She did nothing.

And when Yukina said nothing, she meant nothing.

After screaming, Jo had refused to talk. After refusing to talk, she refused to leave her room. And finally after that, she resumed talking to herself, sitting in a corner of Shai's room, her arms wrapped around her knees.

She spoke rapidly in English, and since Yukina didn't know English, she could never find out what Jo was talking about.

_"Another one bites the dust. Leaving me alone. With unshed tears."_

Yukina shook her head, bringing a hand up to her forehead. Jo always repeated that in English. It hurt her so much that she couldn't understand.

Suddenly, large flames erupted. And Shai's body was set afire. In seconds, the wood around Shai caught on, joining together into one, huge fiery flame of death. Smoke trailed from the fire, spiraling up towards the sky.

Tears sprung up to her eyes once more, as Yukina caught sight of Shai's body betwixt the flames.

It seemed Jo had as well, for a minute later, the young nigen girl scrambled towards the fire. "SHAI! SHAI!" She screamed, her eyes dry, but her voice trembling with hidden pain.

**XOXOXO**

"SHAI! SHAI!" I screamed, refusing to cry, but not refusing to hide my emotions. I mean, why should I? If I can't find, I always find another way to let out my emotions.

I stopped at the edge of the huge fire, wary of the heat. But shaking my head, ignoring the cries of the others, I thrust my hands and arms in. I mean, why should I care about the others? They were Shai's friends, not mine.

_Don't say things like that…_My conscience sighed, I mentally felt someone stroking my hair, as if trying to make me feel better.

I didn't bother to respond.

The flames licked at my exposed skin, and clamped onto my clothes, creeping onto them, slowly turning them to ash. I winced, but felt no pain.

"Don't leave me, Shai!" I begged, not being able to see the wolf girl through the flames, but my hands had clamped onto her wrist, "Please?"

'Course, how could a dead person answer?

I started to feel the pain now. A stinging sort of pain, traveling from my hands up my arms. I paused, it kind' of felt tingly at first. And was slightly enjoyable.

But then I felt hands encircled my waist. Surprised, my instincts took over and I started to flail. Kicking my legs this way and that, I thrashed about, but the grip never loosened.

And slowly, I was dragged away from Shai.

The last thing I remember was seeing the image of the wolf girl. Her long black hair glittered in the sunlight that was just there, like those things you see in the movies, her green eyes sparkled sadly. Holding up her hand in a goodbye, she gave me a small smile.

_"Sorry Jo… Really I am. C-Could you give them the tapes…?"_

I shook my head. My eyes telling her everything. I would give them the tapes unless she was there. That was our promise to each other.

But she had disappeared.

And I remember nothing more.

**XOXOXO**

"So, you see, Jo-chan." Xyona spoke, fiddling with something in her hands, "That's how I will resurrect him. All you have to do is your part."

My mouth hung open; I could literally feel my jaw drop. "MOUTH TO MOUTH!" I screeched, "THAT'S MY PART?"

She smiled sweetly at me. "Oh, is that a problem?" She said in a fake caring voice, "I don't see how it is. You seem to ADORE Hiei-chan."

I flushed, but said nothing else.

Her smile dropped, and a glare of anger reflected in her eyes. But she did nothing.

I looked around. It was foggy. Everything was unclear but me and her. You see, this was in my dream, I suspected. She had told me it was the only way to contact her without getting attacked by the others.

My hatred for her boiled in my stomach, but I refused to yell anything inappropriate or do something stupid 'till I found out EXACTLY how to resurrect Hiei. I mean, after Shai died, I needed to resurrect SOMEONE.

My heart dropped at the mention of Shai's name in my mind, but I shrugged it off. No need for that stupid little girl to see me sad.

"Well then, Jo-chan. Everything's been set up." She started, holding up the something she had been fiddling with.

At first glance, it was a dagger. But when I peered closer, I could see extremely thin, glowing strings. They wrapped around the dagger, and I could tell these were no ordinary strings.

"The strings of time." I heard myself say, but didn't know where it came from.

She nodded. "This is my weapon. Your weapon and protection will be those friends of yours." She said wryly, and played around with the dagger.

And then she started to get blurry.

I blinked, and knew what was coming up.

The Final Battle.

**XOXOXO

* * *

**

For your peoples information, the story shall be ending soon. -nodnod-

I suppose it will end in the next two-three chapters.

I plan on doing a sequel, since I already have the sequel all set up in my mind.  
I like the sequel better than this one. It's got more battles in it. xD

Mm, being bored and such, and wanting to know what you people think, do you think the title fits the story? Or should I change it?

Hei Huo


End file.
